Halloween night
by sti
Summary: AU. James and Lily like each other but both are too afraid of rejection. Will a mysterious visitor help them or just confuse them more? JL fluff, crazy Sirius, responsible Remus and hungry Peter. Rated M because of language in later chapters.
1. Prologue

**Hi=) This is my first attempt to write something longer than a one-shot. Hopefully, you will like it. **

**I don´t own Marauders, Lily and other JKR characters=) However, this story is mine=)**

**Ginnyjaffa - thank you for your beta reading.**

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Lily sat on her legs in her favourite red armchair in front of the fireplace in the Head common room. It was slowly getting dark and she was trying to finish her Transfiguration homework so she could finally go to sleep. She rubbed her eyes and put the one disobedient strand of shining dark red hair back behind her ear. She needed to write two more inches and she was totally exhausted. Transfiguration, although she always got an _O_, wasn't the subject "of her heart". She loved Charms because she liked to make things move or do something. This was the real magic that she imagined like a little girl...but Transfiguration? Ew. Nothing really interesting, you just have one thing and change it into another - you can't create anything from nothing.

Of course, James would disagree. He and his friends, who liked to call themselves Marauders, used to change her school things into rats, bugs, snakes and other unpleasant animals. She freaked out every time and yelled at them so loud that the whole school heard her. She sounded like a banshee.

_Ugh, I hate rats so much! Our relationship (rats and me) is even worse than this one with Petunia_, Lily thought.

However, James didn't seem to repeat his actions this year. Sirius, maybe, but not James. He was made Head Boy and Lily noticed that he behaved more responsible and mature. He was polite towards her and showed his respect to the teachers, helped her with their duties, he actually tried to do his homework in time. He hadn't got detention since the beginning of the year and it had been almost two months now. He still pulled pranks with Marauders but he has never hurt anybody. He didn't hex anybody in the corridors like he used to do when he wanted to show off, he didn't even pick on Snape like usual. Lily had to admit, she had been impressed.

James, Snape? Where did this come from? They used to be Severus and Idiot two years ago. Strange, how things could change. When did it happen? Lily was pulled out of her meditation by falling billet in the fire. She stretched, yawned and looked at her watch. Eight. Only? She is tired as much as a miner every day after work. It must be the weather, she decided, autumn has already started and dark evenings made her always so sleepy.

"Come on, Evans," she whispered to herself," just two more inches and it's over and you are going to have free weekend."

Shadows crept in the room inconspicuously and she could barely see her parchment. She fixed that with a flick of her wand when she turned on the candles in the room. She wrote another sentence, but she just couldn't concentrate.

"Ugh! I wish, James was here," she signed. "He would certainly help me."

_Yeah, James and his nice smile that makes you weak in the knees and you want to melt right here and right now. His unruly hair, so silky, that you are just aching to run your hands through it. His hazel eyes, so intense and sparkling with mischief every time. Yes, he has wonderful eyes. They are honest and caring and when he looks at me, I know, I would do anything for him. Finally, we come to his muscular tanned body..._

Lily blushed, when she realized, what she was thinking. However, she had to admit that James was so handsome and sexy in every point of view. He attracted her, her stomach did flip-flops every time when he looked at her, but she definitely wouldn't admit that out loud. She might have a little tiny microscopic crush on him, but that was all.

She tried to persuade herself to calm her down. It was nothing and her feelings will disappear soon. Besides, he was over her now, she was sure, although she hadn't see him with any other girl. He spent most of his time with Marauders, his brothers. She can't lo—NO like him when he didn't feel the same. She just had to get over it like he did and move on.

And right there was the problem. She had tried but had never succeeded. However, Lily was determined and whatever was on her mind, she solved it. She just needed to try harder. If James forgot her, she would manage to do the same.

She couldn't help but feel a little sad.

_This is your own fault, so don't try to complain._ The voice in her head said.

_Like I didn't know it before, thanks for stating the obvious._ She replied sarcastically. _Oh, I am going crazy, I am arguing with myself in my head. Someone save me!_

Lily shivered. The fire had died out during her thinking and an unpleasant coldness surrounded her. The windstorm outside was crooning, pounding on the windows. No wonder today was Halloween. It was quite scary. Lily saw trees without leaves bowing their branches because of the wind and it looked like something from a horror movie.

In one moment, she caught sight of big black dog in the middle of Quiddich pitch. She has never been superstitious but she couldn't help it when she remembered what meant this vision. Death. She certainly didn't like it. She suddenly felt very lonely.

A feast was taking place in the Great Hall, all her friends were down there together and smiling, maybe wondering where she was, but she wasn't in the mood. Alice had tried to persuade her to loosen up a bit, but she hadn't succeeded. She gave up after two hours of attempting to persuade her.

Lily would rather stay here with her confused mind and try to pull herself together.

_The __Marauders are going to be there, I am sure. What if James flirts with some brainwashed bimbo? I couldn't stand that. _

_I would do something inappropriate what I would be sorry for later. I would embarrass myself by punching her in her perfect nose and I don't think James would take my side._ She shook her head sadly. _I'm hopeless. _

She started to tremble. She didn't even know why, if it was caused by cold or her unpleasant thoughts. She guessed the second. _I screwed it up badly, _she thought miserably.

Suddenly, someone spoke up: "Are you cold?" She froze. She knew that voice.

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**That´s all for now. Two pages in word, this is my record. I promise, next chapters are going to be longer. =)**

**Please reviews, don´t flame=)**


	2. Almost kiss

**Hey! Here is second chapter! I planned something quite different, but it ended very fluffy. I don´t know why. Maybe, I am just in great mood, because spring finally started...**

**Thank you, ginnyjaffa, for your betareading, I would be lost without you=)**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don´t own Lily or James or other HP characters or their world. Sigh.**

**Hope you enjoy it.**

**Oh, one more thing. Just to make it clear, italics are their thoughts.**

"James!" Lily put her hand on her heart. "You scared me!" She exhaled heavily.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. He looked genuinely sorry. Or he was just a very good actor.

Lily quirked the corners of her mouth up. "It is okay, I just didn't hear you coming so I was surprised at who could it be."

James's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Who did you think that I was? Nobody has a password except us, Alice and Marauders…nobody who can hurt you. You know it. Or did you give password to another person? Some mysterious boyfriend?"

He wiggled his eyebrows playfully. He joked on the outside but inside was tensed and waited impatiently for her response. _I didn't see her with any guy, but what could I know? She smiled at Longbottom yesterday. Lucky bastard. What if she likes him? No, no, no, Alice likes him; Lily wouldn't betray her like that... And what about Diggory. She is tutoring him Charms, what if he just pretends that he needs her and he wants to get closer to her in reality..._ He clenched his fists together and wished himself luck.

Lily didn't seem to notice that he had spaced out. She was still in shock that he managed to make her so jumpy. She looked down, embarrassed. _He will think that I am just one of his stupid admirers who throw themselves to his feet. It's disgusting. Any girl shouldn't beg at boys feet for his attention. I have even overheard that they offered him just non-committal sex because they hoped that he would feel attached to them. I don't want to end up like these desperate fan girls. I can't let it happen. Act cool, Evans, you can manage to behave normal.... _

_Yeah, when James isn't around_, added another annoying voice in her head. This second voice was new; she had never heard him before. _I am really going crazy._

"Eh, you know, I was deep in my thoughts and so…" She blushed.

James grinned at her. She was so cute when she tried explaining herself sometimes. Her cheeks were flushed and she was chewing her lower lip, a sign that she was very nervous. In addition, she wrinkled her adorable tiny nose. Pure cuteness. He held back laughter, because he didn't mean to upset her, especially now, when they started their friendship.

Aaah, friendship. It was slowly but painfully killing him. Initially, he was thrilled, because she finally talked to him normally, she didn't scream at him or call him bullying toerag. There weren't any yelling matches in the corridors anymore and Hogwarts could peacefully breath and live.

Lily and James learnt to exist next to each other and not fight. They often came to the breakfast together, Lily ate with Marauders, they did their homework together and helped each other.

Being friends with her doesn't mean that James stopped liking her. Quite the opposite. When he grew to know her, he found out that she was more amazing person than he had previously thought. She had known about Remus's lycanthropy since the second year but she had never told it a soul. Sometimes, he suspected her that she also knew about them being animagus but he had never guts to ask her directly.

He helped her to carry her heavy bag, because she just had to have so many books. She always smiled at him and mumbled quiet thank you. She laughed at his jokes and didn't scowled him when he ruffled his hair. However, this all were strictly friendly gestures and behavior and he had to hold himself not to do something. He was very careful not to cross the line. He had to fight the urge snogging her senseless every time he saw her. It was torture. However he realized, that he should do something as soon as possible, if he didn't want to go crazy. _Oh man, you start to spacing out again, put yourself together and say something before you embarrass yourself. _He snapped out of his reverie.

"So, who are you afraid of, Lily?" He made a scary face.

"Nobody," she stated bravely.

"We will see!" He was speaking in extraordinarily low deathly voice. "I am a ghost of a famous murderer of young women and I came here to kill you. Hahaha! Your pathetic life is over!" He put his hands at her throat. Lily squirmed, squealed and ran away. She hid behind the couch. She showed her head after a while.

"You can't kill me. You can't even catch me!" She smirked and stuck out her tongue at him playfully.

"You shouldn´t make fun of me, you little human worm", said James mock threateningly. "You can't hide from me forever!" He pulled his cloak over his head like some mysterious murderer without face and began itching towards the couch.

"Ha, I got you!" He launched himself on the Lily, but she was faster. She made a move to the side and he landed on his face on the floor and she slipped to the table.

"You are quite clumsy murderer, have you even killed anybody?" She had tears from laughter in her eyes. "Come here and fight with me, I can protect myself!" She grabbed her Transfiguration book and quill from the table and held it in front of her like a shield and weapon. She put on a determinate face.

However, James wasn't moving. What? Lily began to be worried._ Did he hurt himself? He could knock his head on the couch. Oh no, this can't be happening!_

"James, are you alright?" She dropped her book and ran towards him.

"James, come on, get up!" She kneeled in front of him and shook his shoulder. Nothing.

"Please, wake up!" Lily began to panic. She laid his head into her lap and slapped him gently. He still hadn't moved or opened his eyes. Tears threaten to fall from her eyes.

"James?" she whimpered and hovered herself above him while she was trying to comb aside his hair from his forehead in search for some injury.

"Got you!" He suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed her wrists and threw her down on him. He almost choked with laughter.

"What!?" She shrieked "Are you mental? I thought that you were unconscious!" She punched him in the chest with all her strength.

"Ah, somebody likes it rough." James chuckled.

"I hope it hurts!" She slammed his one more time._ I bet that this punch hurt me more than him._ She thought sourly and made a face.

However, he just laughed and flipped their positions so he was supporting himself above her. "Aw, come on, Lily, there is no reason for you to be so violent. I am a gentle and pacific person. You have to admit, it was pretty funny how easily you believed me."

"Funny?" She scoffed. "It was everything but funny!"

"Everything but funny? You wanted to say excellent, charming, perfect..."

"It wasn't," she argued but he could tell she was fighting a smile. "You prat." She was grinning now. "You scared me to death. The second time today."

"I can make it up to you. I didn't mean to frighten so much. On the other hand, I am very flattered that you were so afraid for me," he added with a sly grin. He was still hovering above her, her wrists pinned to the floor beside her head by his large hands. Lily suddenly noticed their awkward position and began feeling uncomfortable. Why was suddenly hot in this room? She blushed.

_Please, just get up and back off from me_, she begged him silently in her mind. _I can't cope with_ _you being so close. I could do something very stupid_... _Like grab your tie and crush your kissable lips to mine._ The second annoying voice was back.

She knew that if he tried to do something, he wouldn't find any resistance. His smell was intoxicating and she started feeling dizzy. She had butterflies in her stomach and she involuntary shivered.

_Unfortunately, he isn't going to do anything._ She signed inwardly._ He is just playing with me, this is all friendly behavior. We do what friends do. We have only fun. He doesn't like me anymore. _

_Stupid, stupid, stupid Evans. If you weren't so stubborn and proud, you could have him so close every day without feeling guilty. Imagine the morning kisses, smiles, hugs, touching..._

_Ah!!! Evans, stop it, it will drive you more bonkers than you already are. You can't think about things like these, the heartbreak would be even bigger and the hole in your heart deeper._

James still didn't do anything. He wasn't moving and he kept looking at her lips. _She is so beautiful. She caught my attention the first time I saw her. It is hardly believable that it was more than six years ago. I can remember it like it was yesterday..._

Flashback

_"You are going to behave yourself, young man!" A tall slim woman with long auburn hair said sternly to a small boy next to her who pushed a truck full of luggage._

_He shook his head and ran his hand through his already messy dark hair. "Don't worry, Mum." He replied cheekily._

_"I don't like this look, James. No pranks, do you understand?"_

_"Yes, mum." James sounded bored._

_"I don't want you to be in detention right first week of the school."_

_"Aw, Mum. Don't you know me?"_

_"Yeah, I know you. And that is it why I am worried." Mrs. Potter signed. "You are always getting into some trouble. Don't try to look innocent, you know what I am talking about. Poor Mary is still so frightened that she didn't come to visit last Saturday. And I doubt that she will come next week."_

_"I don't mind, I actually don't like her." James mumbled. "She has a big nose with a mole and she smells like cats. A lot of cats. And her granddaughter is even worse. She chases me and wants me to kiss her. Bleh!"_

_Fortunately, his mother didn't listen to him and continued with her lecture. "You are going to be polite to your teachers and classmates. Always smile at them. Say 'please' and 'thank you'. Find yourself some good and loyal friends. No pranksters, no evil boys. Don't punch anybody. Don't HEX anybody." She emphasized the last sentence. "Eat with your cutlery like a man and not with hands like some animal. Change your socks and underwear EVERY DAY. The house elves will clean it. Write home once a week at least—"_

_"Excuse me, I see that you have an owl, could you please help me?" A girly voice spoke up and interrupted Mrs. Potter gently._

_Mrs. Potter turned around and smiled at little redhead girl kindly. "Yes, Sweetheart, what do you need to know?"_

_"I have to find a Platform 9 and 3/4 but there are just numbers ten and nine." The girl sadly replied. "Mum and Dad had to go to work and I don't know any wizards..."_

_"Don't worry, James will show you what to do, won't you Jamie?" Oh, how he hated this nickname. If looks could kill, his mum would evaporate right on the spot._

_The girl giggled. James spun around fast. And suddenly froze. He saw a short girl with shiny long red hair tied in a high ponytail. He opened his mouth but nothing came from there. His mother smirked. The girl's big green eyes immediately captivated him. They sparkled like emeralds and he knew that he would do everything for these orbs..._

End of the flashback

_I am getting lost in her stunning eyes. AGAIN. And these kissable lips are a gift from God. Oh, her lips! She should have a license for her appearance, it is so dangerous. She made me completely defenseless. Get up and don't stare at her!_ He tried to command himself but there was some invisible bond what drew him closer and closer and closer...

"Prongs, mate! We were looking for you for ages! We brought Firewhiskey. Let's celebrate this evening properly!... Evans?"

**That ´s it. Second chapter is completed. What do you think? Love it, hate? **

**Please, leave me a review. At least one, so I know, if I should continue.**


	3. Lily?

**Third chapter is here! And still no reviews=(  
**

**Huge thanks to my amazing beta ginnyjaffa who managed to do it in one day.**

**Disclaimer: I have said it already twice so why not to say it again. I don´t own HP.**

**oooooooooooooooooooooo  
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"Prongs, mate! We were looking for you for ages! We brought Firewhiskey. Let's celebrate this evening properly!... Evans?"

James backed off Lily very fast and he offered her a hand so she could stand up. She took it gratefully.

They both looked away, embarrassed. James studied the ceiling like he didn't know what was going on and Lily stared at her shoes determinedly. Her face turned the colour of a ripe tomato.

_Oh Merlin, he almost kissed me. And here comes Black and he has to ruin everything. Why? This is so horrible. He will tease me till the end of my days. These things only happen to me, Lily Evans - the Queen of Embarrassment._

"Are we interrupting something?" Sirius asked slyly_. _"Jamie, could you tell me what is so captivating on the ceiling? Do you see any spiders there? I thought that house-elves clean this room every day. And Evans, do you have new shoes that you have to admire them all the time?"

"Nice to see you too, Black." Lily growled. She usually didn't have any problems with Sirius but he just ruined her perfect kiss with James. Kiss, which she dreamt last two months of. It could be so wonderful. Just her and James, alone in the common room, with burning fireplace... the image of perfect kiss that every girl want. (And never gets:))

_Ugh, stupid, bloody, terrible Black. Hang on, it might be better this way. What if James didn't want to kiss me....I could have confessed my feelings for him and he would have told me to stop it. Or worse, he would pity me. It would be the most heartbreaking thing that could happen to me. I can hardly survive simple rejection but if he was going to be sorry, I would rather dig in the earth and die._

James laughed nervously. Lily could tell it was forced. His face was rigid and he gritted his teeth.

"Nothing Padfood, just showing our little Head Girl that Halloween could be pretty dangerous. A lot of psychopathic murderers trying to hide under the mask and then attacking you when you open your front door for trick and treat…" He waved his hand and trailed off.

"Really?" Sirius smirked. "Didn't look to me this way, what do you think guys? Moony, Wormtail?" He turned to his two friends who stood right behind him still frozen in shock.

Peter caught James' glare and shrugged: "I have to agree with Prongs... murderer... he does look quite scary..."

"Yeah," argued Sirius, "but only when he is looking at us! Especially at me!" He laughed and winked at Lily. "The way he looks at Evans frightens me, but for completely different reasons. It gives me chills and-"

"I do not!" James interrupted Sirius' speech quickly. He raised his hand in defensive manner. "I just wanted to-"

"Snog her senseless?" Finished Sirius, sounding very satisfied. Although it was almost impossible, Lily went redder than she already was. James was also blushing. _Padfoot is going to die. Very slowly and painfully._

"Shut up, you prat." Then he turned to Lily awkwardly. "Lils, I assure you that I respect y-"

"So she is Lils, now?" Sirius was obviously enjoying himself.

"Give it rest, Padfood, I am not in the mood to be a judge between you two." Remus sighed and plopped himself on the couch. "We were going to celebrate Halloween in private, we don't need to see Malfoy's ugly face tonight. Care to join us, Lily?" He looked at her with expectation.

Lily smiled, it could be a good opportunity to spend some time with James inconspicuously. "I would love to, if you wouldn't mind…" She looked at James and Sirius hesitantly. She played with a strand of her hair nervously.

"YES, yes...ehm, I mean, we wouldn't mind" stammered James.

Sirius barked laugh. It sounded like a dog and Lily spaced out for a moment. _He could be a dog... This suits him. I know that I shouldn't stick my nose to other people's stuff, but I would LOVE to know, what their animagus forms are... I bet James is gorgeous. He is so strong and proud. Black - he is so carefree and easygoing...I think that he could be a dog...or some big bird maybe. Peter. This is a real mystery. I can't imagine, that he actually could manage to become an animagus. It took ME more than a year._

_Evans, Evans, you start to be big headed. _Second voice again.

_Ugh. Shut up. Why do I have to have two voices in my head. Like one wouldn't be enough. Ah. Where was I? Yeah. Peter. Hm. He will be something funny but cute. Like a squirrel._

Lily blinked. Boys were looking at her questionably. "Did you say something?" She shook her head in attempt to clear her thoughts. "Sorry, I got lost."

"Where?" Sirius shoot. "In Jamie-land?" Remus elbowed him in ribs and his glare clearly said that he should stop it. Sirius sighed but finally decided that shutting up could be good. He has tortured James enough, at least for today.

"I said, that if you won't complain about Firewhisky, fine by me," he shrugged. He actually liked Lily a lot, he saw that she was perfect for James, but he couldn't help himself. These two lovebirds were such wonderful targets to tease and he didn't miss any opportunity he was given.

"Excellent!" She slapped her hands excitedly. "I am going just to take these books to my room and I will be there in a minute." She almost danced upstairs.

James looked dazedly at her until she was out of his sight. "She is so perfect," he whispered to himself.

"Yes, we know, she is awesome…" Sirius began with a smirk. Maybe he could tease James a bit more today.

"Beautiful," Remus supplied.

"Wonderful," Sirius shot.

"Charming," Peter added with smug smile.

"Kind," They obviously enjoyed torturing their friend.

"Amazing,"

"Gorgeous,"

"Smart,"

"Hot,"

"Okay, okay, enough. I got the idea." James held up his hands. "I will try to control myself," he promised to himself. "I don't want to screw it up. She is finally my friend."

"I want to see the day when James Potter won't try to get Lily Evans to go out with him!" Sirius laughed.

Peter rolled his eyes. _Padfoot is in such a good mood today. It is going to be long night. We will have to tie him up and put Silencio on him to survive this night in a peace and quiet._

"Evans, Evans, Evans...." Sirius signed. "I have to enjoy this name before she becomes Potter." Heavy book landed on his head.

Sirius didn't call Lily very often by her first name. She was always Evans to him, not that he didn't like her, but Evans just suited her. She knew that he wasn't trying to be mean to her, she actually called him Black, too. Their friendship was very strange. He couldn't forgive her for a long time that she was mean to James in their fifth year, even though he deserved it. However, it didn't matter in these days, they (Sirius and Lily) called truce on the end of the sixth year. They teased each other and Sirius pulled a lot of harmless pranks at her and it caused him great satisfaction when she started yelling at him and then she plotted revenge. She was actually getting better in pranks and he began to be afraid of her, because she could combine her brilliant mind and innocent looks and then she was unstoppable. If James didn't love her, Sirius would definitely flirt with her, because she was witty and her remarks drove him insane. He couldn't understand it, how a girl could irritate him so easily.

On the other hand, Remus has been Lily's 'big brother' since the first year. They often studied together, helped each other and trusted with their secrets. Lily found out about Remus's lycanthropy in their second year and she didn't mind a bit. He was her friend no matter what. He was so grateful that she didn't leave screaming bloody murder, that he was going to protect her for the rest of his life to pay off his debt. Or so he thought. Lily has never understood why he could even think about her leaving him because of his monthly sickness. She has always supported him. When they became prefects in their fifth year, their bond only intensified.

Peter was the fourth Marauder and the quietest one. He adored his three friends and did everything what they wanted. It came almost naturally, that he liked Lily, when James started to show interest into her. She was always kind to him and helped him with his homework. He looked up at her like she was some kind of strong heroine, when she stood up to James and Sirius. He brought her some sweets from Honeydukes a few times as a thank you for her help but he had to stop it because James was jealous like hell.

James, he was entirely different. She didn't really know anything about him until their fifth year when he suddenly started proclaiming his love for her. It was really embarrassing and she tried to avoid him as much a she could. She didn't hate him, she just didn't like him either. He came to her to apologize after the big scene by the lake at the end of the fifth year, and she accepted him. He was her acquaintance and they started to be friends during the sixth year. He hasn't asked her out for more a year now and she was pretty sure that he wasn't interested in her anymore.

"I'm here!" Lily announced and skipped last two stairs. She changed out of her school uniform to something more comfortable. She wore tight jeans and blue T-shirt with a big yellow sun in the middle. She loosened her ponytail and her hair fell in soft waves to the middle of her back. She put few strands out of her face and grinned. She looked very excited.

_And irresistible_, added James to himself. _Her eyes sparkling, cheeks flushed and her lovely dark red hair lovely lining her gentle face. A few adorable freckles from the summer on her tiny nose. A beauty. Ugh, stop dreaming, she would think that you had gone mental_. James commanded to himself.

"Oi Evans, I thought that you had fallen asleep, it took you so long!" Sirius teased. _She probably tried to look her best for Prongs. Hm, as if she needed it, he is already blind with love._

Lily just waved her hand and turned to Remus. She was used to Sirius's teasing so she didn't pay much attention to him. "So, what's the plan?"

"Get drunk and fall asleep on the couch," muttered Peter. "Padfoot's idea of fun."

"What's wrong with it? It IS fun. Do you have any better ideas?" Sirius complained. "No, you don't. Of course. Because nothing can be better than our manly meeting which includes speaking about the more beautiful half of Hogwarts... I mean girls, of course, and their boo-"

"Shut up, Padfoot," James interjected, "we just wanted to talk about stuff, catch on old times, memories and so…"

"Sounds good to me," Lily replied cheekily.

"Hey!" Sirius complained in the background. "I was going to say books." Nobody listened to him.

Lily and James sat down on the large comfortable couch. Remus with Peter followed suit and they occupied two armchairs.

Sirius lay down on the rug in front of fireplace. Suddenly, he sprang to his feet, "Bloody hell, it hurts!" While holding his bottom, he leaned over to examine the rug closely. He held Lily´s pin that obviously pinched him. Poor boy.

"What is it, Black? Too hard on the floor for you? You are such a baby." Lily smirked.

"No, I just imagined what could you do here with James and I don't want to be contaminated!" It was Sirius' turn to smirk.

"You are a pig, Black, has anybody ever told you?" Lily looked disgusted.

"OK, it's time for you to drop it." James backed Lily up and threw a pillow on Sirius.

"Oh, I'm hurt, I am going to die!" Sirius complained.

"Don't be so dramatic, Padfood and SHUT UP." Remus was starting to get pissed off.

"So, Lily, do you want some Firewhisky?" Peter asked while he was pouring it into four glasses for Marauders.

Lily politely refused. "I'm not in the mood for alcohol yet, maybe later. When I want to have a good time, I prefer chocolate."

"Your wish can come true," Remus smiled. "I have some chocolate frogs with me here."

"Aw Remus, you are a sweetheart," Lily squealed. James frowned but then he hid it fast. He knew that Remus would never betray him like this. He was just being polite. They all wanted Lily to feel comfortable with them.

"Yeah, Remus is our living storage of chocolate. Remember the last time in the Forbidden forest?" Sirius laughed. James looked at him warningly and then nodded towards Lily. She noticed it and sighed.

"I know that you go and explore Forbidden forest very often." She rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, I'm not going to bite your heads off. Or turn you in to Dumbledore." She said with a small smile. James beamed at her. _Merlin, I love the most perfect woman in the whole world. She is awesome._

"So, what happened?" Lily asked.

"Actually, it is very funny story," Peter replied, "We decided to explore the south part of the forest last month."

"It was right after the great storm last weekend, if you remember", Sirius continued, "so there broken trees everywhere and the ground was very unsteady."

"Our Jamesie, here was excited over something he wouldn't tell us, so he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings." Remus said.

Lily blushed. She remembered that day very clearly. She was plagued by some nightmares that night, she was terribly scared and James comforted her. It surprised her so much that her mind went blank and she gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek. _Could he be excited because of me? Oh, don't flatter yourself Evans, it is just coincidence._

"That is not true!" James complained. "I was just slightly distracted. And it had nothing to do with the fact that Padfoot pushed me into the hole."

Lily gasped. "Hole? What happened?"

"I didn't push you, I was tired and wanted to lean against something. You just weren't stable. And Evans, don't be frightened, he is in one piece now, isn't he?"

"You could have used a tree." James grunted. "Anyway, he pushed me into at least a twenty feet deep hole. I couldn't climb the walls because they were too steep, so he had to return for rope. I sat there for bloody three hours!"

"Aw, that was awful. Poor you, James!" Lily looked genuinely concerned. "And don't use 'bloody' all the time, I don't like it," she added.

"Sorry." James mumbled. Sirius sniggered. _You are so whipped, dear Prongs. _He thought.

"So, what was next?" Lily was thrilled. "Wait. And what about your wands?"

Peter grimaced. "Prongs said that we are going to explore the forest muggle way, without our wands. He said something about better understanding..."

Lily smiled. _How sweet._

"Well, first of all, it wasn't twenty feet. I guess it was something about twelve. So, Moony and I were waiting with Prongs, while Padfoot was searching for that rope. It was terrible. He complained the whole time about everything. That we were ungrateful friends, that his leg was certainly broken, that he was hungry..." replied Peter. "And when he wasn't complaining, he was describing how beautif-" He stopped himself. James was glaring at him with narrowed eyes.

"To shut him up, we threw him some chocolate frogs. ALL of my chocolate. When Padfoot returned and we helped Prongs up, he had his whole face covered in chocolate." Remus continued with a chuckle.

Lily imagined chocolate-covered James. _Mmm, I wouldn't mind licking the chocolate off him. _She shivered at this thought. _Bad Lily, very bad. Stop it and focus!_

"Evans, are you listening?" Sirius asked. "The best is coming." He smirked.

"I wouldn't say the best." Remus complained. "I would like you to see it from my position. I was starving, too. I desperately wanted a piece of chocolate-"

"I want to say it, please!" Peter interjected. "It is hilarious!"

"Okay." Remus shrugged.

"Like he said, he needed a chocolate frog, when he heard some squawking...he thought that it was one last chocolate frog that escaped from James. He grabbed it and tried to put it in his mouth-"

"And he kissed a toad." James finished with laugh. "However, no princess showed up."

"For a moment I thought that she did. Moony squealed like a girl when he noticed what he had wanted to eat." Sirius laughed. "He was even worse than you, Evans, when I jumped on you with James' invisibility cloak last week on your patrol."

"It was you! Oi, Black, watch your back, revenge is coming!" Lily said in faked annoyed voice. Then something clicked to her.

"You have an invisibility cloak?" She turned to James. "Can I see it?" She pouted. James wasn't able to resist her.

"Of course, come with me." Three Marauders shared a look.

All of them got up and went to James' room. Lily was actually impressed. She expected great mess, dirty socks everywhere and it wasn't like that at all. His room was quite tidy, the bed was made nicely, books were arranged in the bookshelf and they weren't just about Quiddich but a lot of textbooks. _He is full of surprises._ She thought. Then she spotted a book about animagi and it refreshed her curiosity.

She never told them that she discovered their secret on the end of the sixth year. It was the only possibly way they could be together on full moons. She wanted to become an animagus and when she studied it, it came to her mind. She investigated it and her suspicion was confirmed. She admired them for it; they were her heroes who had helped their friend in need. However, she didn't know what animals were they and it was eating away at her. She was always very curious and she didn't like not knowing anything. She wanted a bargain. She would tell them her animagus form (she managed it during holidays and immediately registered herself because she didn't want to get into trouble) and they would tell her theirs. Quite fair, wasn't it?

_Now or never. Gather your Griffindor courage and ask. What could they do to you? They won't hurt you. _Lily suddenly spoke. "I have a question for you, but you don't have to answer. I was just wondering, what animal do you change into?"

"W-we don't…" James began to stutter.

"Oh, don't lie to me, I know that you follow Remus every full moon. I'm not blind, James." Lily interrupted with rolling her eyes. She did it actually pretty often with them.

"Evans, I don't think that it should concern you, this isn't your business." Sirius tried to annoy her so she could yell at him and forget about animagi.

"Don't be so rash, Padfoot, she just asked." Remus defended Lily. "She has known about my lycanthropy for five years and she didn't tell anyone. In my opinion, we can trust…"

However, he couldn't finish his sentence. They heard a loud crush coming from the left corner next to window. Startled, they turned around, wands ready. Some figure appeared out of nowhere…

"Not Harry!" She sobbed, "Please, have mercy, have mercy!" She exclaimed and fell to the floor.

She didn't seem to notice them, so they took the opportunity to look at her properly. She was a young woman, just a few years older than them. She had shoulder length wavy hair, but they couldn't say what colour it was because the room was dark, but James guessed that it looked like auburn. She had a very slim figure and seemed that she was short also. They couldn't say it certainly, because she was sitting on the floor. She glanced behind her and when she didn't see there whatever she was expecting, she started sobbing harder. Moonlight, which was coming through window, emphasized her pale complexion. Her eyes were closed and tears were streaming down her cheek. She was shivering and sobbing silently.

"No, no, no... You can't be dead too, please God help me!" Her face was grimaced with a fear and sadness.

"You can't leave me, please. I can't live without you. Come back, please!" Her voice was full of pain; she looked and sounded like Cruciatus was being used on her.

"Come back, please, I love you." She buried her head into her hands. "I love you both, can't you hear me?" she was shaking with uncontrollable sobs.

"It is not fair! You can't leave me behind. Y-you promised that we would die together!"

Sirius shifted uncomfortably. Something about this woman was strangely familiar, he just couldn't put a finger on it. He put his wand down, he decided that this broken woman wasn't any threat. James and Lily didn't share his opinion and stayed alert, prepared to do something. Peter hid himself behind them. Remus couldn't watch it. He hated it when he saw crying girls. This woman was clearly on the border of despair. He had to do something.

He rushed towards her and he began soothingly: "C-can I help you, madam?"

The woman realized that she hadn't been alone in this dark room. She lifted her head from her hands and she opened her eyes. Remus stopped dead in his track. She was staring at him with stunning emerald eyes, the only eyes in the world of this particular shade.

"Remus?" She whispered shocked.

"Lily?"

**Cliffhanger. I am so evil=)....Don´t worry, I am working on another chapter.**

**Love it? Hate? Pleeease review!!!  
**


	4. Have a mercy

**Hi! Sorry that it took me so long but I am very busy at the moment, next week is my biochemistry exam=(**

**Thank you, my first four wonderful reviewers, you are amazing! Also my beta ginnyjaffa is the best=)**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own HP...=(**

**Oh and one last thing. I decided to change rating from T to M...just to be safe, I don´t plan anything drastic.**

**oooooo  
**

**Lily Potter´s POV**

Lily sat with crossed legs on the couch near the fireplace. She was wearing big Quidditch T-shirt that reached her mid thighs. It obviously wasn't hers; it belonged to James who was the biggest fan of Chudley Cannons, the worse Quidditch team in history. Although they have never won a single match, he still believed in them. It was a bright orange colour that clashed terribly with her auburn hair but she didn't mind at all. Her hair, previously tied in a loose ponytail, fell freely on her shoulders. She was watching James sitting on the other side of the couch while he was finishing eating his dinner. Finally, he was done. He put his plate down on the coffee table and turned to Lily.

"You are an amazing cook, I knew that marrying you was the best thing I could do." He got up and grabbed the plate. He pecked Lily on the lips on his way to the kitchen. She could hear him washing dishes and putting it to the shelf. _It is awesome that he can do it by himself. I am too lazy to get up now._

"Well, well, well." James was leaning to the doorframe smirking. "Dinner was delicious, but I think that I could use some dessert now." He scanned Lily's fine figure suggestively.

She laughed. "You never have enough. I think that you already had your dessert today... Twice." She added afterthought.

James just smiled and jumped on the couch next to Lily. "And I thought that you have learned after four years of marriage that my appetite and stamina are endless."

Lily cocked her head to her side and looked at James mockingly. "I am still getting used to it."

She wanted to tease him some more but he unexpectedly leaned towards her and captured her lips with his own. When they broke up, he put her forehead to his and tried to calm his uneven breathing. Lily appeared to have the same difficulties.

He was gazing into Lily's eyes. "I love you so much, Lil."

She smiled. "Love you more." She leaned in and kissed him once more on the lips.

James chuckled. "No, I love you more."

Lily raised one eyebrow. "Do you think so?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Prove it!" She was challenging him now.

James waved his hand and he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Look, I have loved you since our first year-"

Lily snorted with laughter and interrupted. "When you're eleven years old you don't even know what love is."

"I was very mature." James feigned hurt.

"Mature? You were impossibly immature even in our fifth year. Little, spoiled-"

"Hey! I'm really wounded right now, you know."

"Sorry love." Lily kissed him again. She caressed his cheek. "I love you despite your pratness."

"Pratness?" He was looking at her like she had lost her mind.

"Yes. Pratness. Like some person is prat and his whole being is pratness."

"Such a word doesn't even exist."

Lily stuck her tongue at him. "It exists...in my head"

"You are so cute." James laughed.

Lily shook her head at her husband. "We turned to another topic. I want to hear your reasons why could you love me more."

"Okay, okay, but you interrupted me first. So, where were we?"

"You said that you have LOVED me since our first year." Lily said with emphasis on the word love and she smirked.

"Yeah, I remember it now. So, as I said, I've loved you for....hmm, how long is it? Seven plus five. Okay. I have loved you for twelve years. That's a very long time. Every minute my love for you grew and grew and grew-"

Lily laughed and smacked him gently on the head. "Yes, it grew and grew and suddenly," dramatic pause "it was ALMOST as big as your ego." She cracked with laughter.

James frowned. "You really know how to ruin a moment, don't you?"

"We were having a moment?" Lily asked mock surprised. "Oh forgive me, my beloved husband, I will behave myself and be a little obedient girl."

"You are little," James signed, "but definitely not a girl. Yuck. I am not any sort of pedophile." He shook his head. "You are a very well developed woman." His voice was suddenly low when he "accidentally" brushed Lily's breasts while his hand was heading to encircle her waist. He noticed that she wasn't wearing a bra. James's eyes twinkled mischievously. He leaned to Lily's ear and whispered huskily. "Wanna show me the woman in you?"

Lily smiled and kissed his nose. "Not yet, I'm very comfortable right now and too tired for any physical exercise, I want to talk a little bit more."

James groaned. "We've been talking for the last hour. My speaking Centrum in my brain is exhausted. It needs some rest."

"Rest? You don't know what exhaustion means. Try getting up every night at least three times like me and then you can tell me something about exhaustion."

"Hey, don't try to make me guilty." His voice feigned annoyance, but his eyes were smiling. "I offered to help you with Harry. You ordered me to lie down and sleep, because nobody else can calm him down as good as you can when he has a stomach ache."

Lily leaned again and pressed her lips to his. "You are such a sweetheart, I know that you want to make it easier for me." She deepened their kiss. Her hands went into his hair and she pulled him closer. James's strong arms encircled her delicate waist and he placed her in his lap.

Baby's crying interrupted them. They both groaned simultaneously. James lifted Lily from his lap and he laid her carefully on the couch. "I am going to see him, just stay here Love." He ordered her gently. He got up from the couch and headed to the stairs. When he stepped on the bottom stair, he turned to Lily and smiled lovingly. "I will be right back, just check on what our little Marauder needs and I will be there sooner than you expect." Crying was getting louder by now. He ran upstairs while Lily stared behind him with dazed expression. _What else do I need to be happy? Nothing. I already have charming, dedicated husband and the most beautiful baby boy in the world._

Lily lifted her head, when she heard footsteps. James crept to her very quietly.

"Harry's sleeping. He just wanted his Sparky." He whispered.

Lily nodded and smiled. Yellowish-orange stuffed phoenix was Harry's favourite toy in crib. He got it from Remus on his birthday and he immediately loved it. He couldn't sleep without him. The phoenix slightly glowed with gold light and Harry felt safe with him because he was afraid of darkness.

Lily titled her head to her side and look at James questionably. "Do you want some hot chocolate? I can make it for you."

James laughed. "You're trying to distract me. However, you can't succeed. I am far to determined to let myself forget."

Lily pouted. "But I wanted..."

"I know love, I promise, I will make it for you...later." James added quite deviously. Suddenly, he jumped and launched himself on Lily. He caught her in his embrace and he pinned her under him quickly.

Lily squealed with mirth and intertwined her hands at the back of his head in his unruly hair.

"Hmmm," James nuzzled her neck, "you're my prisoner now. I won't let you go anywhere."

Lily inhaled sharply. She was almost persuaded. Her hands went slowly down James's torso and stopped on his abdomen. Mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. She began to caress his sides and James sighed contentedly. Without warning, she started to tickle him.

James yelped in surprise. He squirmed in attempt to avoid Lily's hands and she managed to free herself. When he tried to escape, she pushed him down to the floor. She doubled in laughter and straddled him from behind. "Do you admit your defeat? I am the best fighter in the world."

James rolled over with hands up in defeat. "You little Vixen", he smiled, "how you always to manage beat me."

"Charm of my personality, I guess" Lily shrugged.

James grabbed her wrists and pulled her down to him. "Charm?" He scoffed playfully. "I am not sure, you have to be more persuasive."

"I think I can manage to do it." Lily smirked and leaned to kiss him. Few moments later, when she pulled away, they were both breathless and grinning like fools. Lily sighed happily and laid her head on James's chest.

"Hey, everything seems to be very familiar." James whispered into her ear. "It feels like some kind of déjà-vu."

"Yeah, I can't believe that it's been five years already. The time passes so quickly."

"Remember the Halloween's murderer?"

"How could I forget?" Lily exclaimed. "Our first almost kiss."

"Everything was so perfect that evening. I almost got you there."

"And then, Sirius just had to come." Lily chuckled silently and cuddled her head comfortably under James's chin.

"Yeah, Padfoot... I wanted to kill him that night." James frowned. "Firstly, he had to ruin our moment and then there were his perverted comments the whole evening."

"You know what's interesting?" Lily lifted her head from her previous position and looked James in the eyes.

"Tell me."

"I have difficulties remembering that night."

"What do you mean?"

"I know about our moment and about the Sirius invasion. But since then, I can only recollect a little information. You told me some story about you boys in the Forbidden forest, and then we talked about animagi, I think....But that's all."

"Hm, I know what you are talking about. I can't remember either. We probably drank a lot of Firewhiskey and fell asleep."

"But how do you explain us not remembering anything for the week after? I have memories from the next Sunday, you guys pulled this hilarious prank on Dumbledore...I don't know, where I was the whole week..."

"No need to worry, love. You were probably just exhausted and overwhelmed because of us and this experience, and it overpowered everything else. It was your first night with Marauders!"

"You might be right," Lily smiled.

"Of course I'm right, I'm James Potter." James got up from the floor and sat on the couch with Lily in his arms.

"There were some great times," Lily sighed. "You and Sirius drove me up the wall, but I still loved you."

"And I loved the way you loved our teasing."

"Speaking of Sirius, did you notice his odd behavior this morning?"

"Padfoot?" James frowned and thought for a moment. "I don't know, he was kind of nervous, but who isn't these days."

"He was acting very strange. Like he was sitting on nails, he still tried to do something, though I don't know what."

"Now, that I'm thinking about it, you're right. He made the stupidest excuses to get me out of the room." James looked thoughtful.

"It seemed that he wanted to do something here, something we don't know about." Lily looked at James. "Do you think that he played some prank on us?"

"I don't know, nothing happened so far. It was probably nothing."

Lily yawned. "It's nearly midnight, shall we move this discussion to the bedroom?"

James chuckled. "Only if you promise not to fall asleep immediately."

"It's up to you, if you manage to entertain me enough to keep me awake." Lily replied cheekily and stuck her tongue at James. She stretched, bent down and started looking for her shoes under the couch.

James just smiled at her. "I think I'm quite good at that." He boasted proudly. He got up and went to the hall to turn down lights and lock the front door.

"Here are you!" Lily held one of her shoes victoriously. "So, where is the second?"

The gate clinked outside._ Probably a wind, this evening was pretty scary. Real Halloween_. Lily didn't pay attention to it, she had James and she felt safe with him.

"Lil?" James' voice sounded weirdly constricted.

She lifted her head and turned to the hall. "Yes Love?"

Something banged at the front door. Lily shivered with sudden fear.

"Lily, take Harry and go!" James yelled in panic. _He betrayed us. My brother, the Marauder. He sold us to this ugly snake face._

Lily ran to the hall, her wand lying forgotten on the table. James looked at her with eyes full of hurt, disappointment for his friend but also love for her. _She can't die. She simply can't. I will protect them both, even though it can cost me my life._

"It's him!" She still stood, frozen and completely helpless. _So, he came. He found us. This is the end._

James strode two steps to her and kissed her briefly on the lips. They looked each other in the eyes. They knew it; they would do everything what was in their power to save Harry.

"Go! Run!" James pushed Lily to the stairs when the front door exploded. She turned and looked at her husband one last time. Then she ran upstairs on the highest speed.

Laugh. A horrible laugh. "Well, Potter, I told you that I was going to get you in the end! You Bloodtraitor!"

Lily heard crash and then nothing. Deadly silence. _He killed him. He destroyed my life. I have to save Harry, he won't get him!_

Somebody went upstairs. Lily quickly locked the door and tried to shift a table to make a barricade. Everything flew away in great explosion. She stood protectively in front of Harry's crib. He started to cry.

When the smoke from the explosion went away, she saw tall dark figure standing in the door. "Give me the child!" He snarled and reached for the baby.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please, not Harry!" She was crying now. _My James is dead and now Harry? Never!_

"Stand aside, you silly girl." It sounded like a snake. His red eyes looked at her with hate and contempt. _Mudblood._

"Stand aside now." He started to get impatient.

"Not Harry! Please no, take me, kill me instead-" _Harry has to live. I can die, I won't be alone, James is waiting._

His eyes narrowed into small slits, when he raised his hand with wand.

"Not Harry!" She was desperate. She would beg, she had to do something!

"Please, have mercy!"

_Hm, stupid mudblood. I will kill her, too. One more down, it's only for better. Severus will find somebody more appropriate with purer blood._

"Have mercy..."

He said two words. Green light emerged his wand and hit Lily in the heart. Everything started to spin, she collapsed to the floor.

**ooooooooo**

Finally, she opened her eyes._ I am alive!_ She looked behind her, she searched for Harry. He wasn't there. _It can't be possible! My little baby!_

"No, no, no... You can't be dead too, please God help me!" She felt like her heart was ripen out of her chest.

"You can't leave me, please. I can't live without you. Come back, please!" _James isn't here. They left me. They are dead and I am here, alive but alone._

"Come back, please, I love you." She buried her head into her hands. "I love you both, can't you hear me?"

"C-can I help you, madam?" This sudden voice startled her. Somebody else was here.

She lifted her head from her hands and she opened her eyes. She didn't expect it. There stood young boy with light brown hair. He held his hand towards her.

"Remus?" She whispered shocked.

"Lily?"

**oooooooooo**

**That´s enough for this chapter=) What do you think? Please please review!**


	5. Who are you?

**Hi! =) Finally new chapter=) I am sorry, school was terrible and I was really busy.**

**I don´t own HP. That is soooo surprising=)**

**Ginnyjaffa is my awesome beta!**

**I hope you will like it=)**

**ooo  
**

"Remus?" She whispered.

"Lily?"

Lily Evans fainted. Luckily she didn't hit the floor thanks to James's quick reflexes, he caught her in the middle of the fall and he held her to his chest.

"W-what is going on here?" Peter stuttered and backed more to the shadows of the room.

Sirius withdrew his wand again. This situation was highly suspicious and this woman was very possibly an imposter. He shuffled his legs and leaned forward, his wand in alert position.

Everything went silent. The only sound that could be heard was Lily P.'s laboured breathing. Initially, she was frightened and desperate, but those emotions were soon replaced by another. Confusion. She roamed her eyes from Remus and Sirius in the front to three people in the back which she didn't see clearly. She assumed that they were two men and one woman.

_How dare she! _James swore in his mind. _How dare she come here and take Lily's appearance? This is just stupid. We all know our Lily and this person has to know that I could recognize an imposter immediately._ It didn't occur to him that in this woman's head showed quite similar thoughts. He lifted Lily up and with wary look at redhead woman he slowly backed to his bed where he laid Lily down. He withdrew his wand and shifted his body, so he created a barrier to protect his Lily. "Who the hell are you?" His voice was cold and sharp.

Sirius looked at his brother and saw his determined face. He made two steps and stood beside him, wand ready.

Remus shook his head sadly at behaviour of his two friends. It was obvious that this Lily was frightened and distressed. Her eyes were honest; she had to be sincere. _But really, who is she? She looks like Lily but a few years older. Time travelling? It could be. _His thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash. He turned around and saw Peter on the floor. Peter obviously tried to creep away and slipped over his own foot. He quickly got up from his position on the floor and still shaking squeaked: "I-I-I have left s-something i-in my dorm, see you guys l-later." He ran down the stairs like a murderer was at his back.

Remus just rolled his eyes. _Oh, Wormtail. One could think that seven years with Padfoot and Prongs help him to increase his courage. _He turned his attention to Lily P. again. He was shocked. She was still looking at the door where Peter vanished. Her face was no longer confused, she radiated pure hatred. Her eyes were so cold and unforgiving she could have been able to cast unforgivable at that particular moment. Remus shivered. She was starting to frighten him.

"Answer the question!" James said again.

She shifted her look to him. _James, could it be him?_ She thought.

Remus immediately saw the change. Her eyes softened and she was looking at James lovingly. Not for long. Tears started to fall again.

"It's cruel joke, don't torture me again!" She yelled at some mysterious person. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" She sobbed.

Remus let his guard down completely. It wasn't necessary. He rushed towards her and locked her in his embrace. "Who do you hate? What happened?" He spoke soothingly.

"V-voldemort." She managed to say between sobs. "H-he k-killed them." She broke down and began wailing uncontrollably.

They were too stunned to do or to say something. She could easily read disbelief and shock in their eyes.

Lily E. moaned and she tried to move. James was immediately on her side. She was holding her head. "What happened?" She looked at her surroundings. "Oh." She started to remember.

"We don't know yet." James replied kindly. He held his hand to her and helped her to get up.

"I-I remember now. There was a woman. She looked exactly like me. And then darkness." She shut her eyes in concentration when she tried to recollect her memories.

"You blacked out, so I put you in my bed, if you don't mind." James smiled apologetically.

"Thanks." Lily looked at him shyly.

"Oi lovebirds, cut it out, we have more important things to solve!" Sirius shot over his shoulder.

The three of them edged slowly towards the woman in Remus's arms. She calmed down a bit, mostly thanks to his comforting words. He waited for her to stop sobbing. When he saw that they managed to get past the worst, he gently pried her hands off his shirt and helped her to stand up. When they parted, only silent tears streaked her white cheeks.

"So, do we have to ask you for the third time? Could you finally tell us, who the hell are you?" Sirius asked quite harshly because he was very impatient.

"I am - I am Lily P-" She stopped herself. _I can't tell them. I don't know them. It's always better have at least some kind of advantage... _"I am Lily." She replied firmly and her voice indicated that she isn't willing to say something more.

"Did you come from future?" Remus was looking at her questionably.

She turned her gaze to him. "I – what?"

"Impossible." Sirius muttered.

Older Lily seemed to think about it. "Well, I am not sure, I don't know who you really are. Although I could explain why you all are here and why you look younger. You are James Potter, Lily P-Evans, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, right?" She almost said Lily Potter but fortunately, she stopped herself. Nobody noticed her slip up. They were too baffled to pay attention to details.

"We are." James stated. "But what if you lie to us?"

"I don't lie." She sounded offended.

"Prove it!" Sirius narrowed his eyes at her.

"And could you tell me, oh Mr. I-am-always-right, how can I possibly prove it?" She was angry and it wasn't good.

"Tell us something what only Lily can know." James offered. Lily E. inwardly smiled. _At least somebody can keep his head clear to think in confusing situations. And this somebody happened to be my James. _

_Oh, don't think like that, he isn't yours. You lost your chance, remember?_

"Yeah, what colour of underwear do you usually wear?" Sirius asked innocently. His playful mood was slowly returning.

"Black!" Lily Evans hit his arm. "Stop it! You have the behaviour of twelve year old pervert!"

A ghost of smile crept on the older Lily's face. "Well, you are certainly Black. Nobody else could have such a dirty mind like you." Then she looked at Lily E. "Don't worry, it gets worse and worse with years, but you should start to get used to it."

Remus scowled at Sirius disapprovingly. "Padfoot, this isn't time for your stupid jokes."

"I know, I know." He held his hands in front of him in defence. "I have just tried to lighten up the mood. You're all making faces like we're at somebody's funeral."

Lily P. started to cry again.

"Padfoot!" James whispered furiously. "Somebody DID die, could you just SHUT-UP for a while?"

Sirius appeared to be ashamed. "Sorry." He mumbled.

Lily P. just nodded her head that she accepted.

"So," Remus turned to her again. "Could you tell us something what only Lily can know? Your plans, thoughts, family, love..."

"Love?" Lily P. was deep in thought. "What's the day today?"

"Halloween, our seventh year." James replied easily.

Lily P. smiled sadly. Her eyes glazed and she looked out of the window wistfully. James's voice echoed in her head.

_**Flashback**_

_"Remember the Halloween's murderer?"_

_"How could I forget?" Lily exclaimed. "Our first almost kiss."_

_"Everything was so perfect that evening. I almost got you there."_

_"And then, Sirius just had to come." Lily chuckled silently and cuddled her head comfortably under James's chin._

_**End of the Flashback**_

"I know, but I have to ask Lily in private." She turned to them again.

"I don't think that is a good idea – " James started, but Lily E. interrupted him. "Oh guys, just go to the corner, so she can ask me."

The backed off, but they kept their eyes on both girls whole time, just in case. They saw Lily P., when she leaned to Lily E. and she whispered something into her ear. Lily E. blushed and she replied in hushed tones. Lily P. chuckled and nodded. Lily E. turned to boys and smiled. "She is me, I am one hundred percent sure."

They all exhaled with relief. She wasn't going to hurt them, she was a friend. However, this didn't explain how could she travel through the time. They looked at each other puzzled, nobody know what to say.

Finally, Sirius broke the silence. "So, what happened?" He asked curiously.

Remus shot him disapproving glare. "Well, I think that we made it clear just two minutes ago."

Sirius sighed. "Moony, Moony, I know that. First - this is Lily from the future. Second - something terrible happened and somebody died. Third - She really isn't imposter."

Remus lifted one eyebrow. "So?"

"So?" Sirius exploded. "How the hell this happened? How could she appear here without a Timeturner? How could Voldy become so powerful? And why is she wearing Chudley Cannons T-shirt?"

At his last sentence, Lily E. burst in laughter. Sirius really knew how to release the tension in the room.

Lily P. showed ghost of smile. "I think that we could discuss everything in the common room, this room looks crowded."

James nodded. "Good idea. You can join to our private Halloween party."

They all turned to the door and they went down the stairs to the comfortable Head's common room with warm fireplace. When they started to sit down, Lily E. grabbed older Lily's hand and pulled her to her room.

"I will lend you some of my clothes, so you don't have to sit here just in T-shirt with these perverts." She smirked mischievously as they walked away from the boys.

Lily P. chuckled and she added loudly enough for boys to hear. "I see just one pervert. His name starts with "S" and it end with another "s".

"Hey!" Sirius sounded wounded. Both girls just burst in laugher and ran out of the room.

Sirius sighed. "Evans, Evans. I can hardly handle one, but two?"

Remus replied happily. "Finally somebody who can shut you up."

James chuckled. "Yeah, you are driving us crazy. However, Lily is so perfect that she can tame even you."

Sirius retorted. "Oh, Prongs, you sound disgustingly in love again. It looks like the second Lily doubled your crush on her. Or them." He smirked. "Do you think that she would agree to go in the threesome? Imagine it, You, Lily and Lily, wow I cou-"

He didn't have a chance to finish. Three spells lifted him from the ground and threw him against the wall. Remus sat in his armchair with his head in his hands. He had obviously resigned to not speak, listen or look at Sirius. James and both girls stood with their wands pointed at Sirius. The three of them had similar murderous look on their faces, although Lily P. had a twinkle in her eyes that showed that she wasn't really angry.

Remus just shook his head and got up to help Sirius. He sat on the ground with dazed look in his eyes. His hair had pink and green strakes, the same like his nails. He had perfect artificial eyelashes and red cheeks. Remus doubled in laugher.

James looked at girls questionably. "What did you use? These spells had to interfere together. I had _Levicorpus_."

Lily E. smiled and replied. "I just wanted to shut him up, so I used _Silencio._"

Older Lily grinned. "And mine – it's just make-up hex which I invented when I found out that Black was selling photos of me in a bikini for two galleons each to our classmates."

"He did what?" James looked murderously. _How could you Padfoot? You know that I love Lily and that I want you to respect her._

Lily P. just laughed. "We had prank war with Black - and I won it in the end." She said proudly.

Remus looked at her adoringly. _Finally somebody, who could handle Padfoot. Thank you Merlin!_

James waved his hands to draw attention. "Can we finally sit and talk about this situation?"

It was followed by nodding and shrugging. They all sat down comfortably on the couches. Lily P. smiled secretly at the sight of James and young Lily on the couch together. _We look so good together, _she mentally giggled. Remus noticed her and looked at her questionably with lifted eyebrow. She just shook her head dismissively.

Lily P. took a deep breath. "Okay, let's start. I-"

She was interrupted by noise from the door. Peter came back. Sirius brightened at this sight. "Wormtail, my friend, we missed you!" He patted on the floor next to him. "Come sit with me, all chairs are taken, we will have to be comfortable here." Lily P. shoot Peter dark look. Again, only Remus noticed.

"All right, we are all here, we are sitting, so this time there will be hopefully no interruptions." James signed and nodded at Lily P. to continue what she had begun.

She smiled. "I am not sure how much I can tell you. I have to figure out what happened and then I can give you more information. So, just the basic things now."

Sirius seemed like he wanted to interrupt. Lily P. rose her hand to stop him. "I really wish I could, but I must not." She took a deep breath, "We were betrayed by somebody who was supposed to be our friend. Obviously, Voldemort's offer was more profitable than friendship." She stopped for a second to collect her thoughts. "To your second question, Black, I don't know why I am not dead. I felt that the spell hit me, it should have killed me, but it didn't. I just fell to the floor and then I saw you."

Lily E. frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe somebody sent you here before you got hit with Avada Kedavra."

James turned to Lily E. in shock. "Avada Kedavra?" He shot his head to Lily P. "You were hit by Avada Kedavra? How the hell did that happen?" He messed his hair in annoyance. "How could anybody lead Voldemort to you?" He looked at Lily P. bewildered. "What about wards, alert spells or somebody you are living with? They didn't protect you?"

Older Lily´s eyes clouded. "He did... He died." She added sadly.

"Oh." James didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry." He whispered apologetically.

She just sighed. "It's not your fault, don't apologize."

Remus interrupted them. "Nobody ever survives Avada Kedavra, it's impossible. Are you sure that he wanted kill you?"

"Well, Remus, when somebody points his wand at you and shouts _Avada Kedavra_, you remember it very clearly. It isn't scene you could ever forget."

Lily E. coughed. "And what about Black's third question? What happened with Voldemort?"

Lily P. looked at her sadly. "Hate and desire for money and might can motivate a lot of people."

They all fall in silence. Sirius could feel that it started to become unpleasant and he decided to lighten the mood again. "You still didn't answer my last question! Why this shirt? I didn't think that you liked Quiddich?"

It worked. Everybody chuckled. Lily P. smiled and replied. "It belonged to my husband." Her smile faltered.

"What? There is another person in this world that is fan of Chudley Cannons besides Prongs? They are impossibly terrible!"

Lily P. smiled lightly. "They actually won the cup two years ago."

"What? No way! You shouldn't have said it, Prongs is going to be unstoppable." Remus complained and Sirius and Peter joined him in laugher.

Lily E. and James didn't pay any attention to them. They were too preoccupied with Lily's slip of the tongue. They both thought the same. _Husband!_ Lily P. seemed to realize her mistake and she tried to diverse their attention immediately. "I can see Firewhisky here but no food. How about a trip to the kitchen?"

It worked. Everybody stopped what they were doing and looked at her. Peter was grinning like a fool at the mention of food. He was already hungry although he had whole chicken for dinner just an hour ago.

Sirius was the first to recover. "Evans and kitchens? Am I hearing right? You break rules? How do you even know where kitchens are?"

Lily E. stuck out her tongue at him. "Of course I break rules but I am more subtle than you are so I can get away with it without getting a detention. However I haven't found kitchens yet."

"You are going to spend a lot of time in kitchens this year." Lily P. smiled fondly when she remembered her dates with James there.

James clasped his hands together. "So, it's settled. We are going for food."

**ooo**

**So, what do you think? Please review!**

**I have some good and some bad news... First bad - I am going away for my holiday and so my beta...It means that next chapter will be ready in three or four weeks. Good news are two 1. I will really write this story and I won´t discontinue it. 2. I started to write another story, I should publish it in three weeks=)**

**ooo**

**So, have nice holidays! and please REVIEW!  
**


	6. Kitchens

**New chapter. Finally, I know, I promise that I will get better=)**

**Thanks to ginnyjaffa, my beta=)**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own HP. Obviously. If I did, I would write about Marauders, not Harry=)**

**ooo**

_Before you start reading, I have to apologize for one mistake in the fifth chapter. I forgot to mention that Lily Potter used Peter´s forgotten wand when she hexed Sirius._

**ooo**

James clasped his hands together. "So, it's settled. We are going for food."

Sirius started jumping excitedly. "I'm going, I'm going!"

Remus just shook his head and sighed. "Nobody is going to stop you Padfoot, so could you please stop shouting? We are going to go deaf."

James looked at his friends. "Uh, so who is going? Obviously me and Padfoot, but everybody else stays here?" He turned to Lily E and he raised his eyebrow questionably.

She immediately blushed. "Are you going to use your invisibility cloak? I- I wanted to –" She stopped embarrassed.

James smiled at her. "Of course, you can come with us, so we can show you how the cloak works." _And I can spend more time with you._ He added mentally. Then he raised his head and looked at the rest of the people in the room. "What about you? What do you want us to bring you?"

"Chicken and mashed potatoes!" Peter was first with his answer. He was hungry all the time.

Remus thought about it for a while and then said softly. "I am not hungry, I want just piece of chocolate cake."

"And E. T.?" Sirius asked impatiently, ready to go.

"E.T.?" All of them asked simultaneously.

"Evans number Two, it's crystal clear!" Sirius answered oblivious to their confusion.

Lily P. sighed. "Black, you are crazy."

"What, would you like me to call you _Old Evans_? I thought that girls hated to be old." Sirius retorted, offended that his new nickname for Lily didn't get complete support. He crossed his arms in front of him and he purposely stared at the ceiling.

Peter looked at him and giggled.

Remus just rolled his eyes. "Lily, please, tell James what do you want and don't listen to Padfoot because we would get food tomorrow afternoon at this rate."

Lily P. nodded understandingly and started to count things off her fingers. "First, I want a piece of chicken like Peter. With chips. Two pieces of cake – chocolate and strawberry. Gherkin and raspberry jam. Oh and piece of cheese. Emmenthal cheese."

Everybody stared at her with open mouths. James croaked. "That – that's all?"

Lily P. paused. "Oh no! I almost forgot lemon ice cream! Thank you, you are such a sweetheart, what could I do without you!"

Sirius raised his hands in surrender. "I give up. I'm not going. You have to go instead of me. I would not be able to remember all of these things."

Lily E. muttered under her breath. "When I'm stressed, I eat a lot of chocolate, not a whole kitchen! What about my figure?"

James who stood next to her was the only one who heard her. He chuckled. "I think that you look great. You and also your older self too, so don't worry."

Lily P. obviously heard him, too. She rolled her eyes. "You are such a sweet talker." _And I loved that about you. _She added sadly to herself.

Peter asked confusedly. "So, who is going? Lily, Prongs and Lily?"

Sirius smirked. "Yeah. Damn Evans, we should really make a nickname for you. You two are way too confusing. If you don't like E.T., try to come up with something else."

Remus tapped his foot impatiently. "Padfoot, later. We can discuss it when they return from kitchen. Oh, wait, how are you three going?" He turned to James. "You can't wander in castle with two Lilys."

James just waved his hand. "We already said that we are taking cloak. One of them should wear it. You?" He looked at Lily P.

She shook her head. "Nah, I have had my fun with it heaps of times, I think that Lily is going to enjoy it much more. We look quite similar, nobody can say that I am not her."

Lily E. beamed. "Oh thank you! James, will you really lend me your cloak?" She was jumping in expectation.

James laughed. "Of course, it would be my pleasure."

Sirius was making gagging noises in the background. Lily P. sent _Petrificus totalus _his way. Then she threw Peter's wand back to him. Remus and Peter laughed and lifted Sirius onto the couch. James ran to his room, grabbed his cloak and gave it to Lily E. He and Lily P. went through the door outside, Lily E. followed them closely.

Once they were in the corridor, Lily E. exhaled loudly. "Finally peace and quiet. No Black."

Lily P. chuckled. "Try to get used to it, you´re going to spend a lot of time with him in the future."

"What?" James looked at her sharply. _Please not let it be what I am thinking it is. Please, not my best friend. He couldn't betray me like that, could he?_

Lily P. just sighed. "Him and his motto, '_forever bachelor'._ If he wants to be a bachelor, he should know how to take care of himself. But no, he is too lazy. He is at our place at least five times a week at seven in the morning because he just can't make himself a breakfast."

"Can't you lock him out and don't let him in?" Lily E. whispered just to be safe in case that they meet somebody in the corridor.

Lily P. answered. "Believe me, we tried. A thousand times. Nothing helped, that dog is so sneaky!"

James started laughing at her last comment. Both Lily's smiled adoringly. _He has such a beautiful laugh. Merlin, I love him so much!_

"How do you even know about the kitchens?" Lily E. asked curiously Lily P.

She smiled and responded. "Well, you are going in the kitchens now, aren't you? Although I can't remember this whole week, we started to visit kitchens quite often later this year."

"Who is _we_?" James asked immediately? _Did she come here with Padfoot? Did those two start dating?_

Lily P. sensed the jealousy in his voice and she chuckled. "Me and J – the Marauders. We were, actually still are, very good friends."

_Just friends? _James thought disappointed. He didn't catch Lily's hesitation when she almost said his name instead of the Marauders. Lily E. heard it and it gave her hope that maybe she and James end up together. She smiled happily.

They continued talking when they were interrupted by a sudden cry from nearby classroom. They immediately ran towards the source of noise.

Lily P. turned to Lily E. and she ordered quickly. "We can't afford anybody to know about me, so just stay here under cloak, James and I will take care of it."

Lily E. nodded although nobody could see her. She quickly took her Head girl badge and gave it to Lily P. She stayed behind James and Lily P. when they burst into the room.

What they saw, it completely shocked them. Two sixth year Slytherin boys had their wands pointed at second year girl from Ravenclaw. Lily E. remembered that she had tutored her once. Her name was Lucy. They were throwing curses at her and laughing. She was crying and lying on the floor, with her knees under her chin, her clothes were torn to shreds. Lily P. saw red in front of her eyes. She knew these guys. They murdered her friend from St. Mungos with her husband and two little children just a year ago.

"What do you think you are doing?" Lily P. asked harshly. She strode to the centre of the room leaving James behind. She was so livid that she completely forgot that she left her wand in the future, her home.

Slytherins looked at her uninterestedly. They didn't recognize her as a Head girl. The bigger one replied. "We were having a little fun with this little Mudblood until you interrupted. So get lost."

James stood next to Lily. "Fifty points from Slytherin. Detention for the next month with Professor McGonagall."

They just snorted in response.

James didn't pay attention to their attitude and continued."Put your wands down and come with me to Dumbledore."

"Oh, Matthew listen!" The bigger started again. "Go to Dumbledore, the old fool! He can't scare us! Detention, oh please, I am so afraid."

Matthew snickered. "He thinks that he is so powerful since he became Headboy, Jack."

"If he is Headboy, it means that this one is our Mudblood Headgirl." Jack replied with grimace of disgust and turned to Lily P.

James wanted to say something but Lily P. was quicker. She just rolled her eyes and sighed. "Try to find something new, that one is too old."

Matthew looked at her with sneer. "The Mudblood tries to be funny. It can't help you. Mudbloods are very well protected by Ministry these days and it makes you feel safe. We won't be able to get you, but we will do something more efficient. Your family, one by one, they will be gone. And what will you do? You don't even have your wand!" With these words, he raised his wand and pointed it at James.

That made Lily P. snap. She remembered what happened earlier that day, she heard James's screaming and Harry's crying. In one moment, both Slytherins were glued to the wall and their wands were securely placed in Lily's hand. "Wandless magic, have you ever heard about it?" She asked sarcastically. "Of course not, your microscopic brains can't take that amount of information in." She came towards them and sticked their wands into their necks. She hissed. "If I ever see you near my family, friends or just neighbours, you will wish you were never born. Don't think that only Slytherins are capable of doing _Crucio_ and other very efficient spells."

Both Slytherin had terrified look on their face and they nodded eagerly. In one moment, self-confident bullies degraded to scared teenagers with drops of sweat running down their faces.

James and Lily E. stood there frozen. James has never seen Lily so angry. She radiated hate to the whole room. The temperature dropped rapidly, he felt goose bumps appearing on his hand. _Somebody had have hurt her family to make her react this way._

Lily E. just stood with her mouth open. _Oh Merlin, I can do wandless magic. Powerful wandless magic._

Lily P. turned swiftly and strode to the little girl. She kneeled next to her and started to examine her. Girl emitted a little moan. This sound woke James up and he quickly rushed to Lily P. to help her with injured girl.

"She has several broken ribs and she is bleeding from scratches on her whole body, we should take her to the Hospital wing." Lily P. said softly. Her anger was gone and was replaced by worry.

James nodded and picked the girl in his arms. Lily E. backed to the door and waited in the corridor. James followed her. Lily P. was the last to leave the room. When she was in doorway, she looked at Slytherins and said. "I will leave you here to contemplate your behaviour. You should be found in two days. Maybe." She cast _Silencio _on them and continued after James and Lily E.

Once she stumped in the corridor, she leaned to the wall and exhaled loudly. She slowly slid down and sat with her forehead on her knees.

James looked at her worriedly. _What if they managed to curse her when we weren't paying attention?_

Lily E. had similar thoughts because she whispered so the crying girl can't hear her. "Are you hurt? How can I help you?"

Lily P. just shook her head, still not looking at them. "It's nothing, I have been feeling dizzy whole day, I just have to wait for it to subside. Take her to the nurse, we will meet in the kitchen."

They didn't look persuaded and they still stood there uncertainly. Lucy groaned. When Lily E. heard it, she took off cloak, tossed it to Lily P. and whispered to James. "Let's go!" She didn't wait for his response, grabbed his upper arm and pulled him with her.

Lily P. smiled at this exchange as she watched their departure. They were moving slowly because James wanted to be careful with Lucy. Lily E. tried to relieve him as she supported the girl from the side. If it wasn't such a serious situation, Lily P. would have laughed, they looked very funny.

She sighed and stood up shakily. She put the cloak on and turned to the direction of kitchens.

Meanwhile, James and Lily E. arrived to the Hospital wing. James was waiting outside with the girl and Lily went to fetch the nurse.

Madame Webb emerged her office immediately when she heard about injured girl. She ran towards James with Hannah in his arms and gasped. "Oh poor dear, what have they done to you?"

Lily responded sadly. "They thought it was fun to torture Muggleborn."

"Stupid prejudiced idiots," Madame muttered quietly, "they almost killed her! Here boy, lay her down on this bed. And you-" she pointed at Lily, "go to my office and bring me bandages from there. And painkiller potion is in the first shelf in the left."

Lily didn't need to be told twice, she immediately ran to the office. Madame helped James to lay the girl so it was less painful. When Lily returned, she took things from her and said. "You two can go, I will take it from here. Don't be afraid, she will live. If you want, you can visit her tomorrow afternoon."

Lily nodded and sighed. "I just wish that it didn't hurt so much. She is only twelve and yet she knows hate and pain."

Madame agreed. "I understand what you mean. I will do my best to cease her pain. However, I can't do anything against human stupidity."

James smiled. "Thank you."

Madame Webb shushed him. "Don't mention it, it's my job. And don't forget to tell the Professors about this incident."

They both nodded and mumbled good bye. When they were in the corridor, Lily looked at James helplessly. "What now?"

James shrugged. "I think that we should go to Professor Sprout, she is the Head of Ravenclaw, and so we should inform her that one of her girls ended in Hospital Wing."

"You're right, let's go. We have to hurry, we can't let Lily wait too long." She grabbed his hand and speeded up.

"Yeah, she looked quite pale, it would be safer to be with her." James agreed. He still didn't notice that he was holding Lily's hand. She didn't realize it either.

They walked in silence. James was the first to break it. "Uh, so next weekend is the Hogsmeade trip, isn't it?"

Lily turned towards him and nodded. "Yeah, are you going?" She tried to gesticulate with her hand to made her point but she couldn't. Her hand was holding onto something solid but warm. James's hand. They both immediately dropped their hands and blushed.

_Oh Merlin, were we holding hands? We were touching and I didn't even realize it? What about James? Did he do it on purpose or didn't he know just like me?_

_We were holding hands! WITH LILY! Does it mean that she might like me a little? Should I ask her to Hogsmeade?_

Lily was the first to recover. "Er, are you going to answer?"

James was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts. "What? What was the question?"

Lily giggled. "I was asking, if you are going to Hogsmeade."

"Of course, we ran out of Zonko's articles and who wouldn't want to get out of this boring castle?" He laughed nervously. _Ask her? Or not? Where is Moony when I need him?_

"I have to agree. I promised Mum that I will send her some sweets from Honeydukes, I sent some to her once last year and she became addicted to it." Lily joked. "Are you going with anybody?"

_Is she implying something?_ "With the Marauders, like usual." James shrugged. "And you?"

Lily sighed. "Alone probably. Alice has a date with Frank and Jenny is in detention. She forgot her essay for McGonagall."

James immediately offered. "You can hang out with us, we won't bite you." _Well, I would like to try it someday._

She grinned. "Oh thank you, you are a life saver! But wouldn't other Marauders mind?"

"Nah," James waved his hand, "they like you and we will need some help to tame Padfoot."

Lily chuckled. "Is it even possible?"

James laughed with her. "Probably not."

They reached Professor's Sprout office in no time. Lily knocked at the door shyly. She heard some shuffling and steps. Professor opened the door and blinked sleepily. "What do you need, miss Evans?"

"We found one of Ravenclaw's second year, Lucy, being tortured by some Slytherins. We just wanted to inform you that we took her to the nurse."

"Oh dear, thank you!" Professor breathed. "I have to go to check on her! What about these Slytherins?"

"We took care of it." James immediately answered.

Professor Sprout raised one eyebrow and looked questionably at Lily.

She quickly explained. "We deducted points and gave them detention with Professor McGonagall for the next month."

Professor nodded. "You handled it brilliantly. I will talk to Professor Dumbledore tomorrow. You may go, don't you have a feast to attend?"

"Yes, thank you, good night Professor." They both chorused together.

"Good night." She closed the door.

Kitchens were just one floor under Professor Sprout's office so the way didn't take long. When they stopped in front of painting of fruits, Lily looked around confusedly.

"I can't see any door here, are you sure that it is the right place?" She asked.

James just smirked. "Don't underestimate Marauders, Lil." He tickled the pear and the painting uncovered wooden door. James grabbed the doorknob and opened it.

Lily gasped. It was huge and full of house-elves. Some were cleaning, other washing the dish, cutting vegetable, mixing something in the pot, piling food on the plates... There stood in the middle of the kitchen Lily P. by the table.

"Thank you Tinky, could you please add two more pieces of the strawberry cake? And Blinky, the chicken is delicious, put another one in the bag, will you? Thanks." She stood there like a general and she commanded the house-elves. They were ecstatic.

When she heard door, she turned towards them. "Oh, you are here. Great, we were just finishing packing."

"Wow," James stated, "you're natural leader!"

"Life with four Marauders will teach you it." Lily P. chuckled.

"What?" Lily E. asked.

"Never mind," Lily P. waved her hand, "I will explain later." _I have to find some excuses. Oh, I am so stupid, I have almost revealed everything._

"Okay." James raised his hands. "Hand it to me, I will carry it!"

Lily E. immediately spoke up. "I will help you."

James smiled. "It is fine, Lil, I can manage." He grabbed two bags of food and went to the door. Both Lily's followed him, Lily P. put his invisibility cloak on. She was left slightly behind, Lily E occupied the spot next to James. They didn't speak lot on the way back because James was concentrating on carrying heavy bags; he wanted to make a good impression on Lily.

Lily P. was thinking about James, her James and Harry, what happened to them. _Are they dead? Or were they sent to another time period like me? James can handle himself but what about my little Sweetheart? He is still a baby!_

James's effort brought results. Lily E. was totally impressed. She looked at him in awe. _He is so gallant and strong. Ideal man._ _Oh, how I love him!_

When they approached Heads common room, Lily E. said password and let them in. They were greeted with loud clapping, Peter was the louder. He was clapping and jumping on the couch.

"Finally!" Sirius started dramatically. "We thought that we have to go for the snack alone, what took you so long?"

"We met some complications on the way. We – " James wanted to explain but Sirius didn't let him to continue.

"You wanted to try the threesome with two Lily´s as I was talking before –"

_Smack!_ Remus and Lily E. slapped him at once.

"Padfoot, you should be taken to the St. Mungos for psychiatric examination because of idiocy." Remus stated.

Sirius turned to him, confused. "Psychaci? What?"

"He is unbelievable." Lily P. laughed and plopped on the armchair.

Everybody wanted to follow her example when they suddenly heard something like explosion from James's room. They heard steps and then a tall dark haired man burst into the room. He ran downstairs, looked around and when he saw Lily P., he jumped towards her and hugged her. "Oh Lily, you are alive! We thought that we had lost you!

**Ooo**

**Another cliff. But don´t worry, I have sent seventh chapter to my beta already.**

**Please REVIEW, I need it=)=)=)**


	7. Black!

**Hi! I am alive! I am soooo sorry that it took me so long. **

**Disclaimer: Hm, I really don´ t own HP.**

**A lot of thanks to my beta – ginnyjaffa.=)**

_Just a little author note to avoid misunderstanding. O. – older (people from the future), Y. –younger. This applies to boys, I think that Lily P. and Lily E. are quite clear =) I am going to use it mainly when they are in the same room, not for whole time._

**Ooo **

"Oh Lily, you're alive! We thought that we had lost you!"

Lily P. started to laugh with relief. _They found me! _"Black! I would never in my life have imagined that I would say _I am happy to see you_!" She pulled away slightly so she could look him in the eyes.

"Evans, Evans, I am glad that you didn't lose your humour." Sirius O. replied sarcastically but his face betrayed his emotion. He was ecstatic.

Lily P. immediately sobered. "And what about—" She wavered uncertainly, she wasn't able to say their names without her voice breaking. Her throat constricted painfully and she had to fight tears.

When Sirius O. saw her reaction, he tried to calm her immediately. "I assure you, they are both fine, probably more fine than you because they didn't disappear to different time period."

"Really?" Lily P. smiled. "How did this thing even happen? Do you know anything about it?"

Young Marauders and Lily E. watched this whole exchange with mixed emotions. They couldn't understand what was happing right in front of their eyes.

_So, they are not together. Maybe. However, they are definitely very close. Why?_ James

_Wow, me and Black good friends, probably the best? Who would have thought?_ Lily E.

_It looks like nobody had died. Padfoot is behaving very mature, dark times could change people and force them to grow up._ Remus

_Five years completely changed me. I am more handsome and charming than ever. _Sirius Y.

_Padfoot is a real hero now. _Peter

Sirius O. looked at Lily P. and then at the rest of people in the room. He raised his eyebrow at their curious faces. He said to Lily P. "I will explain it to you very shortly but in private."

Lily P. nodded. "That's understandable." She turned to others. "Could you please give us a few minutes to discuss today events?"

They all murmured their agreement and went to sit near the fireplace. Lily E. and James ended on the loveseat again. The others just smiled knowingly.

Remus pointed his hand at Lily P. and Sirius O. "Just go, we will prepare our little feast in the spare time."

Peter's eyes shined excitedly.

James shook his head. "No Pete, we will wait for everybody before we eat. It would be impolite to start eating when the group is not complete."

Peter's smile faltered and he frowned. He grumbled something unrecognisable and plopped himself on his place on the carpet.

Sirius Y. followed his example and he seated himself next to him. He patted at Peter's shoulder and said soothingly. "Don't worry Wormtail, you know that I can't go long without food either and I think that time wouldn't change things that much. My future self would be very quick, won't you?" He addressed the last part to Sirius O.

He grinned. "Of course, give us five minutes." He pointed at James's stairs with his head and Lily P. followed him.

When the door closed behind them, all of the people in the common room started to talk at once. "What- How- He looks like- Are they- I am- ... -is happening here? –he travelled? –supermodel. –friends? –hungry!"

"Okay, everybody quiet!" James took the charge. "This chaos can't help us. We will wait and see what they have to say."

_A real man in a leader position. He shows his qualities again and he even isn't aware of it. _Lily sighed mentally. _He is so determined. I wish he was like this about me and Hogsmeade._

"Prongs is right, it is useless to be so worked up about something we don't know anything about yet." Remus said.

**Meanwhile in James's room**

"Okay, we only have five minutes so I will tell you just basics and the rest later. Do you agree?" Sirius jumped on James's bed and made himself comfortable.

Lily rolled eyes at his behaviour and sat down on the edge of the bed. "You are going to make this bed when we finish here."

Sirius saluted. "Yes Mum!"

They both started to laugh.

When they calmed down, Lily looked at Sirius and prompted him. "So, start talking already!"

"Well, when to start?" Sirius asked himself but Lily was so impatient that she immediately snapped.

"At the beginning would be the best!"

"Calm down, I was talking to myself." Sirius chuckled and continued so Lily didn't have time to interrupt. "Five years ago, I met my older self and he gave me list of ingredients and book of spells."

Lily waved her hand to encourage him.

Sirius swallowed and continued. "He told me that I have five years to find all ingredients and to learn the spell. I could have Remus for help. He said that on Halloween night in five years, somebody will try to kill Prongs and his family. It sounded quite odd at the time because his parents had died when he was in his sixth year but I didn't argue."

Lily looked at him pleadingly. "And then what?"

"Evans, you are quite impatient, are you like this with Prongs? Poor boy-"

"Hush, please continue."

"Your wish is my command, my Lady." Sirius joked. "As I said, he gave me instructions to make a potion, it sounded very difficult, we had to brew it for more than two years and we needed a lot of spells to finish it. But it was the only way to save Prongs and his family, like my older self told me."

"Wow," Lily breathed. "It is awesome that you did all that to save us."

"And you barely know anything yet." Sirius grinned. "Do you remember my holidays three years ago? You all thought that I was going to Greece on the beach while I was actually searching for dragons in Bulgaria. This scar is a memory on this trip." He pointed at his left forearm with ugly scar which was almost eight inches long.

"Ouch!" Lily winced. "I thought that you got that when you tried to run from jealous husband because you flirted with his wife and he threw his knife on you."

Sirius laughed darkly. "Of course I couldn't tell you what really happened. But I didn't lie too much. The husband was furious red dragon. I tried to steal his eggs and the knife was his claw."

"Oh Merlin!" Lily jumped up, hugged him and gave him small kiss on the cheek. "I am so sorry!"

Sirius looked confused. "Why are you sorry? It was my own fault that I didn't manage to dodge it in time. And don't you dare to say that I had to take the egg because of you. I did it because we love you and Prongs and we couldn't stand the image of you two, now three, dead."

"You are such a great friend," Lily sobbed into his chest at the moment, "I-I thought that y-you were finally p-p-punished for your player ways a-and I said that you deserved it. And n-now I s-see that you risked y-your own life to save ours."

"Evans, don't cry on me, you know that a weeping woman is the only thing that I don't understand and I feel so helpless." Sirius patted on her back clumsily. "Stop crying so I can finish my story, our five minutes are almost up."

Lily hugged him one more time and whispered. "Thank you." Then she pulled off and started to wipe her tears away. "I'm okay now, please continue."

"We finished the potion in July and then we just waited and waited. I visited you on that fateful day in the morning and poured it in your tea—" He was suddenly interrupted.

"Ha, I knew that you intended to do something and James didn't believe me!" Lily shouted victoriously.

"Yeah, it was quite difficult to get you out of the room." Sirius smirked. "But I accomplished my mission in the end." He lazily stretched his limbs and threw James's duvet on the floor in the process. "The potion should have kept you safe. You should have just fainted and have woken up in thirty minutes. It worked at Prongs, but you, you were different. When we replayed Harry's memories, we saw something unexpected."

"You looked into Harry's mind?" Lily asked wonderingly.

"It was the only way to find out what happened. Don't worry, it didn't put him in any danger. So, where was I? Oh, I know. Voldemort initially didn't want to kill you but you offered your life for Harry's. This is the key moment, I think. When you were hit, you fainted for a moment, but when he cursed Harry, it backfired and Voldemort was gone. How did it happened, we are not sure, Moony is working on it. Anyway, it produced a great explosion of magic, not the magic we know and use but something more advanced and definitely older. You were in the middle of this mess and you suddenly disappeared. Harry saw you for more ten seconds – he saw room with people who looked like us, then you were gone."

"Oh." Lily couldn't speak, she was too overwhelmed with this information.

"Prongs was so frightened that something bad happened to you when he woke up and you were gone. He went almost crazy with worry. But once we saw the younger people, it all clicked. It was the week after Halloween in our seventh year when we could not remember a thing. I didn't pay any attention to it before, but everything suddenly made sense."

"How did you travel here? Time turners don't work on that long time periods." Lily asked curiously.

"Ah, Moony of course. He's always exploring something. He has been working on a Long time period turner since he was fifteen. He never said a word about it. Only this evening." Sirius replied with admiration for his werewolf friend. "It looks like shining big blue cylinder of liquid when you turn it on."

"Ah, Remus has been always very clever, but this exceeds his threshold of wisdom." Lily was completely shocked.

"Yeah, that's our Moony. So, when he turned it on, I grabbed your wand and jumped into it. And here I am. Oh, your wand, here." He handed Lily her wand.

She took it gratefully and caressed it gently. "Thank you."

"And here I am. Three days after you disappeared, we found you again." Sirius exhaled. "So, that's all. Any questions?"

"Just one. How do we get home—" Lily was interrupted by knocking on the door.

Remus opened door slowly and put his head through the gap. "It has been fifteen minutes and we were wondering if you are going to join us. Wormtail is dying of hunger." He chuckled.

Sirius nodded enthusiastically. "We are coming, definitely. Evans, get up."

Lily smiled at his eagerness. "Yes, but you promised to make this bed. So do. And you haven't answered my question yet."

Sirius waved his wand and James's bed was neatly made. He turned to Lily. "Home, I don't know, I was so focused on knowing if you were alive that I completely forgot to ask."

Lily made a horrified face. "What?"

"Don't worry, they will find a way, just give them a bit of time." He smiled reassuringly. "So, food, I am coming for you." He ran down the stairs, Lily P. and Remus followed.

Lily P. occupied armchair opposite James and Lily E., Remus transfigured one chunk of wood from fireplace into armchair and Sirius O. plopped on the floor next to Sirius Y. While he was trying to sit comfortably, he shot dirty look at Peter. Nobody except for Remus noticed. _What is with these two and Peter? Did he do something wrong in the future?_

"Can we start eating already?" Peter spoke bravely. It surprised everybody, he usually didn't speak in front of unknown people. He eagerly rose from the floor and leaned towards the table

"Wait, wait, first is the toast." Sirius Y. stopped him by grabbing his hand and pulling him down again.

"You are right Padfoot, we need to start our little feast properly." Remus took a bottle of Firewhisky and handed out to everybody their glasses. When he got to Lily E., he paused and looked at her questionably. "You don't drink, do you? Do you want juice?"

Sirius Y. let himself to sound. "No Evans, you are attending your first party with Marauders—" at this moment Lily P. grimaced and muttered something under her breath while Sirius O. chuckled— "and we have two special quests here," Sirius Y. continued unfazed, "so let loose for once in your life."

James put his arm around Lily´s shoulder reassuringly. "You don't have to listen to him, he can't make you."

Lily E. smiled at him brightly. "Thank you but I think that I will listen to Sirius for once. Remus, just a little please."

Both Siriuses cheered excitedly. "Wow you listened to me!" Sirius Y. was completely in daze.

When Remus wanted to give Firewhisky to Lily P., she stopped him. "I will pass, could you please give me orange juice."

This alerted Sirius O. "What? But you normally drink, don't you? Why not now? Are you afraid to make a bad impression?"

Lily P. sighed. "No, it is nothing about reputation, I just don't feel like it."

"Don't feel like it? Oh please, I remember your ninetieth birthday, it was—"

"Black, if you want to live through this evening, I warn you, shut up." Lily P. was glaring at him murderously.

"Okay, I am quiet now. But really, why can't you have just a few drops of Firewhisky?"

"Just leave it be. I won't drink it. I wasn´'t feeling good today." Lily stated resolutely.

"Uh, you win. But don't think that I will obey you every time." Sirius raised his hands in defeat.

Lily P. smirked. "You have been saying that for the last five years and I don't see it working."

Everybody laughed at older Sirius's mocking hurt expression.

Sirius Y. stood up with his drink and everybody followed his example. When they were up, he started his speech. "We drink to our happy meeting with quests from the future, I wish you a wonderful next five years until we meet again. Hopefully. I want our next years to be full of laugh, fun, health, life and no death and most importantly sex with beautiful women."

Peter and James burst of laughing so hard they had to sit down, Remus was just looking at Sirius Y. disapprovingly. Lily E. sent him a death glare and gritted her teeth. "You just have to ruin our toast with your immature behaviour. Is sex the only thing you can think about?"

Sirius Y. just grinned at her. "Oh, yeah. I like it, it's fun. Not everybody is as frigid as you."

Before Lily E. could defend herself, Sirius O. intervened. "Don't underestimate her, she is doing it every day in our time."

James abruptly stopped laughing._ No, no, no, Padfoot how could you?_

Lily´s E. jaw dropped. _Please no. Not me and Black, no! _

"Fortunately, not with you." Lily P. muttered.

Lily E. and James exhaled loudly. _Thank Merlin._ Remus and Peter watched this whole conversation with growing amusement. They didn't miss masks of horror on James and Lilys E.'s faces just a few seconds ago and they found it extremely funny.

"Ah Evans, how can you say fortunately? You don't know what you are missing – Sirius Black, the Sex god." Sirius O. performed dramatic gesture with his hands and he almost hit younger Sirius who stood still in shock next to him and was looking at Lily with newfound admiration.

Lily P. continued unmolested. "How do you know this sort of private information anyway? Are you spying on us or what?"

"I don't need spying, you are loud enough for the whole neighbourhood to know. I just want my breakfast."

Lily E. was completely flushed by now. She buried her face into James´s chest. She wasn't the only one disturbed in this room. Every seventh year except for Sirius Y. was fidgeting uncomfortably.

Lily P. just rolled her eyes. "Your problem. You shouldn't have crept into our house without knocking. If you weren't stealing food, you would't have to be jealous." She smirked.

"I am not—" Sirius O. immediately began to protest. Lily P. just raised one eyebrow at him. "Okay, maybe a little." He admitted sheepishly.

Lily P. nodded. "I thought so. If you are going to tell more stories about me and—" she stopped in time "him, I am going to publish some photos from Frank's bachelor party, which happened by some miracle to end in my possession."

Sirius O. stared at her frightened. "No, please, I am going to be a good boy, please don't."

Lily P. smiled. "I won't if you are going to behave." Then she turned to others. "So, can we clink with glasses?"

Everybody looked relieved at this suggestion.

They finally started to eat and they were pleasantly chatting about ordinary things like too much homework, stories from Prophet or school gossip.

"You said Frank's bachelor party?" Remus addressed Lily P. "You mean Longbottom?"

Lily P. smiled. "Yeah. Exactly that one."

Lily E. heard their conversation and joined them. "I hope he married Alice, she is soooo in love with him." She spread her hands to show it.

Sirius O. laughed. "Yes and he with her. They are quite cozy couple."

"Shh, what are you doing?" Lily P. hissed angrily. "We can't tell them about it."

"Ah Evans, you are worrying too much. We have to wipe their memories at the end anyways, you know that none of us could remember the Halloween in our seventh year. Now we know why." Sirius added carelessly.

"I know, but the less information we let them know, the easier is going the _Obliviate_ to be." She flicked her wand to emphasize her words.

"Oh please," Sirius mimicked, "like you weren't the best in Charms for the last fifty years as Professor Flitwick likes to say every time I have to go visit Dumbledore.

Lily E. caught a sight of older Lily´s wand. "This isn't my wand. This one has darker wood and it is at least three inches shorter."

Lily P. played with her wand. "It's my third and I can say the best."

"Third?" James wondered. "What happened to those two?"

"My first wand didn't survive my Auror training and—"

"What?" Sirius Y. interjected. "You are an Auror? Prongs has been always saying that you wanted to become a Healer?"

"You remember that?" Lily E. whispered to James. "I told you more than year ago."

"I remember every single detail about you," he whispered back lovingly.

Sirius O. gagged. "I almost forgot how disgustingly cheesy you two were in our seventh year." He addressed to Lily P.

She decided not to acknowledge him.

"You are forgetting our theme," Remus complained, "Lily and Auror, who would have thought."

Lily P. shook her head. "No, I am a Healer, I worked at St. Mungos but we live in very dangerous times. Every Healer had to undergo a special fighting course. At least one Healer is often a part of a special Auror attack team, so we need to know how to defend ourselves."

"Yeah, it makes sense." Remus agreed.

"And the second wand?" Peter interrupted his chewing for a moment.

Lily P. frowned. It wasn't very pleasant memory. "It was at my third run-in with Voldemort. We lost a lot of people on our side. A lot of friends." She sighed. She and Sirius O. looked very frustrated.

"Uh, enough with this. I want to eat." She suddenly switched theme. "Where is my ice-cream?"

"Here." Peter answered with mouth full of cake.

"Thanks. And chicken?" She looked pleadingly at Sirius Y. who was the nearest. He gave it to her. She took one leg and then she plopped lemon ice-cream on it. Everybody stared. She started to eat. When she was half done, she noticed that they still weren't moving. "What? Have you never heard about chicken with ice-cream? It's very delicious."

They looked at her sceptically. "I think I will pass." Remus answered.

"Duh." Lily P. grimaced. "You don't know how delicious it is."

"We know delicious food, Evans." Sirius Y., always very courageous, decided to disagree. "But this one looks very disgusting."

Lily P. sticked her tongue at him and ignored him after it.

"Why are you still calling her Evans?" Remus turned to Sirius O. curiously.

He smirked. "Well, we got used to Black and Evans, it´s tradition."

"But you used _Lily _when you first stormed in here." James remarked.

Lily P. lay down her chicken and grabbed chocolate cake. She chuckled and answered to James instead of Sirius. "It was the third time in my life."

Lily E. was watching Lily´s P. eating habits with growing panic. "He never called me Lily so far. When is the first time?"

Lily P. swallowed a big piece of cake. "You will see in a year and-" she counted for a moment "ten months and the second time in three years and nine months."

"What happened?" James asked curiously.

"Yeah," Peter joined "somebody tried to kill you and he saved you or the other way around?"

Sirius O. laughed. "No, of course not. She just did something very nice for me and my friends."

"Could you give us better clue? We want to solve it." Remus was excited about this riddle.

"I don't believe that you are going to settle this one but if you wish." Lily P. thought about it and then said. "The first time, he was having a toast and he couldn't call me Evans because it would be _improper._"

Sirius O. chuckled. _Improper, yeah. If I said on her wedding day in front of her parents Evans, they all would kill me. Or castrate me, which is worse. Anyway, she made Prongs happy so she deserved it._

_She gave an extra emphasis on the word improper like it would have other meaning. _Remus thought. _Improper because of people or because of special occasion?_

Everybody else was eating and they weren't paying attention to these three.

"And the second time, let's just say that Black got a new toy." She grinned and began to lick her plate.

_Toy?_ Remus was totally confused. _She bought him some awesome gift? Motorbike? It had to be something perfect that he called her Lily._

_Harry, my little Godson. He is not a toy, I just have to teach him a few Marauders tricks. I am playing WITH him not ON him. _Sirius O. recalled his little Marauder fondly.

Sirius Y. yawned widely two hours later. He looked around at his friends. Peter was snoring loudly on the floor. Remus was chatting with Lily P. and Sirius O. – they were gesticulating wildly and laughing. Lily E. laid her head on James's shoulder and he was combing her hair with his free hand – the other was holding her waist firmly. They were whispering so Sirius Y. couldn't detect what they were talking about.

He yawned once more and said. "What about call it night? It's quite late."

"I agree," Remus replied, "but I refuse to go to our dormitories, they are far away and in addition, it is after curfew."

Sirius O. suggested. "We can transfigure furniture. Two armchairs, one loveseat and table. And we have four beds."

Lily E. nodded. "It's good idea. Lily can sleep with me, we are both small and my bed is huge."

They all bid good night and went to sleep.

**That´s all for now. What do you think?**

**Please please please review!**


	8. Bugs and spider

**Hi! I am alive!=) Here is another chapter. It is a bit longer than usual so I hope that you forgive me for my delay.=)**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own HP.**

**Ginnyjaffa is my super-beta, thank you!=)**

**This chapter is dedicated to all my awesome reviewers: ****GinnyPotter4evr, lillyflower's revenge, HPTL, the4RCH1T3CT, , spidermonkey-09, phee 15, ForTheLoveOfNargles, SucksRoyalHippogriff**

_James was dozing in the brown fluffy armchair in front of fireplace. He opened his eyes suddenly and looked around. He knew that he was in this room before but it was a very cloudy memory. It had two armchairs and one couch in chocolate cream colour in front of old bricked fireplace. There was coffee table with Christmas decorations. There were some pictures placed on the fireplace but he couldn't recognize people on it because he didn't have his glasses. A Christmas tree with a shiny big star on the top stood in the corner of the room. He could smell the scent of wood and Christmas sweets. He got up and went to the window. It was snowing outside peacefully, huge soft snowflakes falling slowly and covering the whole village in the white coat. Neighbour's kids were building a snowman in the back garden but it progressed very poorly because they were laughing and throwing snowballs at each other. James suddenly recognized this view. He was in his parent's summer cottage in Godric Hollow._

_A sudden noise from the door forced him to turn around. There stood Lily, HIS LILY, with two cups of a hot chocolate. She smiled and went towards him. She laid cups on the table and strode into his opened arms. She hugged him tightly and inhaled his scent._

_"Are you excited about tomorrow?" He asked._

_"How could I not? It's our fourth Christmas together." She sighed._

_"Yes, I still can't believe it." He chuckled. "I remember, I was freaking out in our seventh year when I couldn't find a present for you."_

_Lily chuckled. "But it all ended well. I loved it. Now I hope that you will like your present tomorrow."_

_"Don't worry, Lil. Everything coming from you is perfect. Just like you."_

_She giggled. "You know how to flatter women, don't you?"_

_"Uh, just this one. Is it working?" He asked slyly._

_"Definitely." She whispered and leaned towards him._

_He could feel her breath on his lips, they were just inch apart, he wanted to kiss her so badly. Sudden scream interrupted._

"Why, what?" James sat straight in his bed and looked around confusedly.

"Sirius Orion Black, I am going to MURDER you!"

James recognized this voice. It belonged undoubtedly to Lily. He sighed. _So this all was just a dream? It felt so real. _He thought disappointed. He jumped out of his bed and began frantically to search for his clothes. He put on his trousers quickly and grabbed some shirt from the floor. He didn't bother with his unruly bed. While he was buttoning his shirt, he opened his door. What he saw was quite a sight. Peter, Remus and Sirius Y. were yawning and trying to untangle themselves from their sheets. Sirius O. was hiding behind Remus's bed and he was chuckling wickedly. Lily E. was standing on the top of her stairs and was pointing her wand at him.

"What happened?" James asked nobody particular.

Peter yawned once more. "I don't know. He-" he pointed at Sirius O. "played probably some prank on our Lilies." He fell down to his sheets.

"Evans, don't be mad, it wasn't that bad." Sirius O. tried to reason with Lily E. while she was descending stairs and glaring at him murderously.

"Not that bad!" She shrieked. "It was disgusting, awful, terrible. You put insect in our bed. Tons of repulsive bugs, worms, caterpillars and some that I can't find words for!" She took a deep breath and continued. "It was nauseating. Poor Lily is throwing up in the bathroom because this-this monstrosity got into her mouth!"

Remus moaned. He looked at his watch. It was only eight_. Eight! I could have slept two more hours. It is Saturday for Merlin's sake!_ He took his pillow and tried to block noises with him. Unfortunately for him ineffectively.

Lily E. didn't stop her rant. "I have these horrid things in my hair." She completely forgot about her magic and started to take them out with her hands.

James immediately rushed towards her and helped her. He sat her down on the armchair which he transfigured back from Sirius's O. bed and picked all worms from her hair. He didn't miss opportunity to caress her cheek "accidently".

Sirius O. gave him the thumbs up. "She likes you." He mouthed to James. "Go for it."

James's face broke into a wide smile. _Really? Well, he is from future, he should know more things than we... I will just take a risk and go for it._

Sirius O. exhaled. One danger was diverted. Lily E. was completely in her own world with James and she forgot all about the others. Lily P. was going to be worse. She didn't have here "her" James to distract her. And she had been very moody lately.

Three Marauders finally found out that it wasn't possible to sleep in this noise and they began to get up slowly. They transfigured the furniture back and they put it in their place.

"I think that we should go to our dormitories for new clothes." Remus concluded.

"What, it is so far away!" Peter whined unhappily.

"Wormtail! It's not _that_ far away. The earlier you put on new clothes the earlier you get food." Sirius Y. reasoned.

This argument seemed to persuade Peter and he hesitantly nodded.

"We will see you at breakfast." Remus waved goodbye and exited room with two other Marauders in the tow.

Sirius O. just sighed and started to look for his wand to clean his own clothes.

James and Lily were still lost in their own world. James was whispering something into her ear and Lily was giggling. Suddenly, she abruptly stood up. "Come on, James, we can go to the breakfast if we are already awake." She shot murderous glare at Sirius O.

Sirius ignored her look and grinned. "Okay, food, I think I should eat something." He started to go to the door.

"No!" Lily interjected. "You can't. Our Black is somewhere out there and we can't afford to risk it. We will bring you something later."

"What? I have to stay here? Alone?" Sirius looked at them in disbelief.

Lily smirked. "Oh no, don't be afraid, you won't be alone, you will have Lily."

He saw evil glint in her eye while she was leaving. He looked pleadingly at James but he just shrugged helplessly and followed Lily. Sirius O. stared after them frightened. Suddenly, he felt bristle his hair at the base of his neck. He turned slowly. There stood Lily P. with her wand ready and devious smirk on her face.

"Well, well, well. What do I see? Black all alone?"

Sirius O. started to pray.

**Meanwhile James and Lily E.**

Lily and James were chatting pleasantly whole way down to the Great Hall. When they arrived, almost nobody was there. Everybody was still asleep on Saturday morning. James led Lily to their spot where Marauders usually sit.

He bowed and started theatrically. "Please, my lady. "

Lily giggled. "Thank you, kind sir."

He waited till she took her seat and then he sat down next to her. They both looked at each other and started laughing uncontrollably. When they calmed down, James took Lily's plate. He continued with their play. "What would my lady like?"

_You. _Lily thought lustfully.

James didn't see that she was distracted and asked. "Pancakes? Or perhaps something salty? Like bacon and eggs?"

Lily woke up from her daydream and she played along. "Oh, I can't decide!" She sighed dramatically. "What could you recommend me, my lord?"

James tappet his index finger on his chin and he made a thoughtful face. "I think that you are so sweet that you don't need pancakes."

Lily stuck her tongue at him. "Don't try to flatter me, it won't work."

James snorted. "Really, I think that it works quite nicely." He pointed his finger on her flushed cheeks.

Lily slapped his hand away playfully. "Behave. A true gentleman doesn't point at people. It's impolite."

James just grinned. "You are no lady, too. I haven't ever heard about lady who sticks her tongue."

Lily waved her hand. "You are just jealous that my tongue is prettier."

"No, I am not! I can't be jealous because I _know_ that my tongue is better!"

"Mine is better! Look!" Lily stuck her tongue.

"Look at mine!" James started to speak with his tongue out of his mouth. "Muah muah ba- er." (translation – much much better)

Lily couldn't agree. "No, no, no! M-n iz ca-er." (Mine is cuter) "See?"

"-ut –in- z on-er." (But mine is longer) James stuck his tongue with all his force and he started to gesticulate vividly.

"-m –ot –ur-." (I am not sure) Lily followed James's example and then she began to compare length of their tongues using her thumb and index finger.

"Prongs? Evans? What are you doing?" Sirius Y. sounded very curious. He stopped himself suddenly. "You know what? Never mind. I don't want to know."

Remus and Peter stood behind Sirius and they both looked very amused.

"Uh," James stuttered, "we were just measuring our tongues."

"What? Why do you need to how long is your tongue?" Sirius looked confused. Suddenly, he brightened. "Unless... Evans dear I didn't think that you are so dirty!"

"What?" Lily and other Marauders couldn't understand.

"You know," Sirius tried to explain, "you need to know how good is Prongs going to be with his tongue, so-"

"Eww! Black you idiotic foul mouth. You are disgusting!" Lily was the first to get it. Remus followed.

"What? I don't understand?" Peter was still confused.

James was still out, too. "What did he mean? Why is he disgusting?"

Remus tried carefully. "Prongs, think. On what purpose can you use your tongue with girl? Except for speaking?"

Lily was banging her head on the table in false hope that she will forget what Sirius had said. Of course, it didn't help.

"Er, I don't know, kissing?" James ruffled his hair nervously.

"Yeah, you're close. But I don't think that Padfoot meant kissing on the lips." Remus sighed.

James finally saw the light. He jumped from the bench. "Padfoot!"

Sirius was already in half way to the door when James said it. James started to chase him, they both were yelling at people to get out of the way.

Lily sighed. "So much for quiet and pleasant breakfast."

Remus chuckled. "Don't worry Lily, we can keep you company." He pointed at himself and Peter.

Lily attempted to smile. _They are nice but James was way better. And more handsome, funny, sweet and everything._

Students started filling slowly the Great Hall. Lily waved at Jessica and Mary, her Ravenclaw study friends. They waved back and then they sat down at Huppelhuffs table with Jessica's boyfriend.

"Hey Lily!" It was Alice. She started yelling so suddenly that Lily jumped in shock. Remus and Peter shrank, too.

Alice rushed towards Lily, kissed her on the cheek, grabbed one toast, nodded at boys and she was gone in three seconds.

"Uh, what?" Peter was totally flabbergasted. Remus wore similar expression on his face.

Lily had to laugh at them. "It has been her normal behaviour since she has gotten together with Frank. I think they have some plans for today."

Remus smiled. "Love can change people." He looked at Lily significantly.

She blushed and bowed her head to her food. She didn't eat, though. She just played with her spoon and she moved pieces around the plate.

"Attention, students." McGonagall's sharp voice sounded loudly through the whole Great Hall. "We have to cancel your Hogsmead visit next week because our school keeper, Mr Filch, needs to repair some of our carriages. However-"

Filch, who stood near behind Professor, smirked satisfied.

She was interrupted by disappointed calls and protests. Everybody complained. She seemed unfazed by this. "However, we don't want to take away your trip entirely. Mr. Filch begins with carriages on Monday so Hogsmead visit is shifted to tomorrow.

Filch looked like somebody cancelled Christmas.

"What?" Peter squeaked. "So soon? We have to make a list of ingredients from Zonko's, Padfoot is not going with us, he got himself in detention."

"Don't worry, Wormtail." Remus calmed him down. "If Prongs didn't already kill him, I will find him and ask."

Lily stayed sitting in front of her plate and she was chewing her food, lost in her own thoughts. She didn't pay attention to her surroundings. The bench creaked. She looked up and saw grinning James. He had to have caught Sirius because he wore a very satisfied expression. Lily raised one eyebrow in silent question. James stuffed one blueberry muffin into his mouth.

"I put his head into toilet. And flushed it." He explained while he was chewing.

Lily's lips curled into little smile but Remus and Peter burst into loud laugher. Students started to turn into their direction because they wanted to find out the cause of this noise.

"Poor Padfoot." Peter said mockingly, he was crying from laugher.

Remus couldn't even speak.

James ruffled his hair and smirked deviously.

_He looks so sexy. _Lily mentally sighed. _I can't understand why I hated his hair with passion. He is so cute when he messes with it. _She shook her head in attempt to clear it. She wanted to avoid embarrassment of being caught drooling over him.

"So," James started, "what did McGonagall announce?" He waved his head towards Staff table.

"She removed Hogsmead visit from next week on tomorrow." Lily shrugged while she was staring intently into her cup.

"So soon?" James was very surprised. _I thought that I would have more time. Padfoot told me just this morning that she liked me. Should I ask her right now and cancel our "friendly hanging out" with all Marauders? Or just wait for the next visit before Christmas?_ He began to freak out. _Will she refuse me?_

Remus sensed James's internal battle and he knew that his friend needed privacy to gain courage. He grabbed Peter and stood up. "We are going to find Padfoot, if he isn't already drowned in that toilet."

"Why?" Peter complained. "I am not done."

Remus stomped on his foot. "You can take it into your pockets. We _must_ see Padfoot." He looked meaningfully at Peter.

Peter finally understood and nodded. "Okay, let's go!" He snatched five chocolate muffins and they were gone with one last mischievous wink.

Lily didn't seem to notice their looks, she was too busy with her own thoughts.

James turned hesitantly towards her. _Please, don't let her to hate me for it._ He took a deep breath. "Lily?"

"Yes?" She stopped eating and raised her head.

"Uh, I-I just wanted to ask..." James stuttered.

_Ask me out. Ask me out. _Lily tried to hypnotize him desperately.

"Well, we are friends now, aren't we?" He asked nervously.

She nodded. _Friends. Oh Merlin, how I hate this word. Just friends._

"And we have a quite cozy relationship, don't we?" He continued.

She nodded again, still not sure what he had on his mind.

"Would you like to go to the Hogsmead with me? I mean just me. As more than friend?" James squeezed his eyelids because he didn't want to watch her horrified face. He waited for slap and yelling coming. What he didn't expect was a big hug, in which Lily enveloped him.

"Yes, yes, thousand times yes!" She beamed.

He wasn't prepared for her great enthusiasm so he almost fell backwards from the bench. He reached behind him to find a balance. He sent his breakfast flying on the floor.

"Merlin! I am sorry! Are you okay?" Lily was immediately worried.

"Calm down, I am fine." James finally understood that he wasn't dreaming. He started laughing and he jumped from his seat and he began performing his victory dance. When he saw Lily's and all his schoolmates's amused expression, he stopped and instead he wrapped his arms around Lily. He smelled her hair and sighed. "You made me so happy, Lils."

"You've made me happier." She murmured into his shirt.

He countered. "Not possible."

"I would be surprised." Lily chuckled.

James gently pulled away and he hesitantly took her hand.

Lily encouraged him with her bright smile. "Let's go and find others." Lily suggested.

"Are you sure? I would rather spend some time with you alone." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. When he finally understood that Lily was his, he started returning to his usual confident self.

She playfully punched his shoulder. "Don't get too cocky, Potter." He just grinned so she tried another tactic. "I would like to see how Lily, I mean my older self, pranked Black."

James smirked. "Okay, I am curious, too."

They slowly left the Great Hall, followed by suspicious looks from their schoolmates. Everybody thought the same. "Are they finally together?"

When they were nearing Heads dorms, they met very angry and very wet Sirius with Remus and Peter who were rolling on the floor with laugher.

"You!" Sirius pointed his finger at James.

"What?" James feigned innocence.

"I thought that you were my brother!" Sirius sounded annoyed but mischievous twinkle in his eyes betrayed him.

"I am your brother. " James defended himself.

"No, you are not!" Sirius finally saw their intertwined hands and this sight stopped him. He grinned evilly. "Well, well, well, what do I see here?"

"Prongs and Lily?" Peter asked completely clueless.

"Yes, Prongs _and _Lily." Remus smiled. _Finally. It took them long enough._

"Yeah!" Sirius whooped. "Prongs will finally SHUT UP."

Remus shook his head with one look at joyous James. "I don't think so. He will just change his complaining of unreturned love to excited describing their dates."

"Uh, I have to agree." Sirius sighed dejectedly.

"Ha! I understand! Prongs _and _Lily." Peter was jumping on his spot because he finally got it.

"Yes Wormtail, you are a very quick and bright thinker." Sirius replied sarcastically.

Remus shot him warning glance and he tried to change the theme. "We went to the kitchens with Wormtail and we took some sweet rolls for our older Lily and Padfoot, shall we bring it to them?" He offered.

"Brilliant idea!" Sirius brightened. "We can't let me starve to the death."

Lily smiled. "One missed breakfast won't kill you, Black."

"Yes, it can." He replied stubbornly. "I am a growing young man who needs his nourishment."

Lily snorted. "Yeah, right."

"Well, I think that it was our older Lily just yesterday who, almost ate out the whole kitchens." He finished triumphantly.

Lily just made a face at him and she turned to the others. "Let's go."

When they opened door, they saw Lily P. resting in the armchair in front of fireplace. She wore very smug expression. The found out why very soon.

"Evans, get rid of it right now!" Sirius O. burst into the room.

"Why? You look good." She smirked. He had streaks of his hair curled and coloured in turquoise. He looked like a very muscular mermaid.

"I wasn't talking about my hair!" He snarled. "You know very well what I meant."

"Do I? I am not sure." Lily P. battled her eyelashes. "Enlighten me, please?"

"T-that enormous spider, for Merlin's sake!"

"Why? Are you afraid that he will bite you? Don't worry, he has another purpose." Lily P. winked.

"Spider?" Peter asked. "I can't see anything."

"In his trousers." Lily P. smirked. "Food!" She suddenly exclaimed when she saw Remus. "You are so nice, thank you!" She grabbed a bag from Peter.

"Evans, be a good girl and share please." Older Sirius's stomach grumbled.

"Yes, here." She handed him absentmindedly two croissants.

He took one and opened his mouth.

"A-ah!" Lily E. screamed. "What is it?"

There appeared a red large spider on Sirius´s cheek. He looked at Lily P. in panic. "What is he doing?"

She smiled. "Just waiting."

"Waiting for what?" Sirius O. asked in high pitched voice.

"If you are going to eat meat." Lily P. stated calmly.

Everybody looked at her questionably.

"If he tries it, the spider will bite him in his tongue and pull food from his mouth. " Lily P. explained patiently.

"Ew!" Everybody shuddered and grimaced. "That's disgusting!" Remus perked up.

"Yes, it is." Lily P. nodded. "Like the bugs in my bed."

Sirius O. asked frightened. "How long will it take? An hour? A day?"

Lily P. laughed. "Three days Black, three days. And before you ask, your animagus shape won't help you at all. "

Sirius Y. sighed. "You are good Evans, who would have thought you had it in you."

James added. "Yes, you pranked Marauder!"

"It won't be the first time." Sirius O. said.

Lily P. grinned. "Yeah, do you remember the _bed sheets incident_?"

"S-sh." Sirius O. sushed her. "Don't talk about it, you can't destroy the surprise."

Young Marauders and Lily E. sat down and they were waiting for Lily P. and Sirius O. to finish eating.

"Are you two going to Hogsmead tomorrow?" Peter looked at the two adults.

"Definitely." Sirius O. stated. "You," he turned his head towards Sirius Y. "are stuck in detention anyway so I am free to go. Somebody has to go to Zonko's with Wormtail."

"Yeah," Sirius Y. agreed. "Moony would disapprove and our Prongsie has other plans." He jerked his head towards James.

This one caught older Lily´s attention. "What kind of plans?"

"Date with our Lily." Remus smiled.

"Really?" Lily P. squealed. "That's awesome! I didn't see this coming."

"It's understandable, nobody can remember this week." Sirius O. murmured.

Lily P. didn't listen to him. "Congratulations," she leaned forward to hug them both, "it is awesome, I am so excited about this."

Sirius Y. gagged. "I would say rather disgusting."

"Or depressing. " Remus added.

Sirius O. frowned. "It's nothing now. Just wait two or three years and then you will see how much disgusting and depressing our Prongs could be."

Lily P. hit him on the back of his head. "Don't scare them." She chuckled.

They all started laughing at Sirius mocking hurt expression.

"What are we going to do now?" Lily E. asked.

"Let's just talk," James replied, "I am too lazy to do anything else."

"Not even Quiddich?" Lily E. inquired.

"Well," James smiled, "you got me. Quiddich is the best."

Lily E. laughed. "I thought so." She high fived him.

"You know me so well." James exclaimed with stupid grin on his face.

"Oi Prongs!" Sirius Y. complained. "I am your best friend, I know everything about you, your every secret, every thought."

Sirius O. was nodding enthusiastically to this speech but then he disagreed. "I know him even better!"

"No!" Sirius Y. started arguing.

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Enough!" Lily P. interrupted. "You are yelling like little children." She paused and then she added cheekily. "Besides, I know you all the best."

"Oh, really?" Sirius O. asked sarcastically. "Then tell me, my dear Evans, when and why I lost my first tooth. Ha!"

Lily P. just smiled. "When you were five years old, you were fighting with Regulus and he pushed you down the stairs."

"Wow." James was impressed, he didn't expect her to reply so fast and firm.

Older Sirius's reaction was a bit louder. "How can you possibly know it? Even Prongs doesn't know about Regulus's involvement."

Lily P. chuckled. "That's for me to know and for you to find out." She thought_. I am a Healer, remember. You wouldn't believe what could people say when they have a high fever or they are delirious. And it helps, that James isn't usually good at keeping secrets._

"No, no, no. It was just good luck." Sirius Y. grumbled.

"Yeah." Sirius O. butted in. "I would bet with you that I know more things than you."

Sirius Y. started to open his mouth to say something and probably begin a new argument so Remus immediately intervened to avoid another screaming match. "Let's play a game." He suggested.

"A game?" James looked at him in confusion.

"Yes, a game." Remus confirmed. "A game that can show us who knows the most secrets."

This caught everybody's attention.

"What are the rules?" Lily E. asked interestedly.

"It's actually quite simple." Remus explained patiently. "Wormtail, for example, asks a question for somebody in our circle. Everyone will try to reply, the questioned person will be the last one. Understood?"

They all nodded.

"That's good. I will start. Lily," Remus turned to both Lilies, "what's your sister's name?"

"She has a sister?" Sirius Y. asked.

"Ha, Padfoot, I think that we have your answer." Remus chuckled. "Next please."

"Uh, I don't know. Rose?" Peter shrugged.

"Petunia." James stated confidently.

Sirius O. nodded. "Yeah, Petunia." He agreed. "Spoiled horrible brat." He murmured to himself.

Remus looked at Lilies. "I think Petunia, too."

They smiled.

"James, Remus and older Black get a point." Lily E. said.

"I want to go next! Pick me!" Peter cried.

"You may go." Remus waved his hand.

"Who was Padfoot's first girlfriend?" Peter asked eagerly.

Remus sighed heavily. "That's a complicated question. Who can understand his jungle of girlfriends, friends with benefits, snog partners? I think that first was Amy Jones, she is from Ravenclaw."

Lily E. grinned. "I agree with Remus, I caught them in our third year in the broom closet on the fifth floor. It was disgusting."

"Disgusting?" Sirius Y. sounded touched. "I would rather use words _very pleasant._"

Lily E. shook her head. "We were only thirteen, for Merlin´s sake!"

"What can I say?" Sirius O. grinned. "I have always been very mature."

"You certainly." Lily P. replied mockingly. "However," she continued, "I think that your first girlfriend was Hannah Morgan."

Lily E. bursted in laugher. "You mean _Dungbomb Hannah_?"

James answered. "Yeah, she was really his first girlfriend. He even snogged her."

"What? That's not possible." Peter couldn't believe it. "I always knew that you were desperate for a girl when we were younger but_ that_ much?"

"Hey! Enough laugher on my account. Can we move on?" Sirius O. protested.

"J-just give u-us a-a few minutes t-to calm down." Lily E. managed to say between fits of laugher.

Both Sirius's stayed in the same pose – with crossed arms on their chests and frown.

When finally everybody quieted, Peter said. "Prongs and Older Lily get a point, others have nothing." He added to the rest.

"I am asking this time." Sirius O. stated victoriously, he was sure that he will win this time. "Who was Prongs's first girl?"

"Padfoot, can't you be more imaginative? We just had this question." Remus complained.

"Hey. I didn´t ask the same." Sirius O. protested. "I meant first girl in the sense of _the first girl_. You know?" He met their confused stares. "In bed of course." He sighed exasperatedly.

"An old pervert won't ever change." Lily P. muttered under her breath.

James got red in his face like a tomato.

Lily E. was flickering her eyes nervously from person to person. She just couldn't look at James. _And here it goes. Another remembrance that he is far more experienced than me and that he was with all gorgeous girls from Hogwarts. Like Mary Jenkins._ She put her head into her hands.

Remus sensed that atmosphere in the room visibly dropped and he decided to enlighten their mood. "Are you sure it was a girl? I have always wondered that you and Prongs were very close." He turned to Sirius smirking.

"Hey! That's not true!" Both Sirius´s and James cried simultaneously.

"Ew!" Lily P. shook her head. "Bad images! Please obliviate me!"

Lily E. was interrupted from her disturbing thoughts by Remus's remark and she started laugh together with Peter.

Remus looked very smug and self satisfied. Lily P. finally understood why Remus made this distraction. She nodded at him thanks. He just smiled.

"Okay, I will reply first." Peter raised his hand. "I think that it was Mary Jenkins."

Sirius Y. agreed. "Yeah!" She has the biggest ti-" He stopped himself because Lily P. was glaring at him murderously.

Lily E. mentally sighed. _Well, I knew that he can have every girl in this school but actually hearing it from his friends is hundred times worse._

"I don't think so," Sirius O. retorted. "I have heard something about Jessica Foster."

Remus chuckled. "I am still sticking with Padfoot." This earned him punch to the shoulder from Sirius Y.

James coughed. "Can you please quit talking about me like I'm in the room? It's degrading." He complained.

"Prongs, shut-up." Sirius Y. brushed him off. "You can talk at the end."

Lily E. said hesitantly. "Hannah Smith claimed that it was her when I met her last year in prefect bathroom." She blushed deep scarlet. _She is so pretty and funny. She loves Quiddich...she is just so much better than me._

Lily P. was the last. "So, you asked who _was_ James's first? _This_ James's?" She pointed at James.

Sirius O. nodded.

Lily P. continued. "It's the beginning of their seventh year, isn't it?"

Again nodding.

"Well, I don't think there has been anybody yet." Lily P. smiled.

Sirius Y. bursted into hysteric laugher. "Evans, you are so naive! The older, the sillier."

Lily P. just smirked. "Just wait. James? Can you please tell us?"

"Uh, ehm." He stuttered. "Eh- you know – uh –" he coughed "older Lily is right." He whispered quickly. _Well, awesome. Now they can laugh at me, I am totally embarrassed in front of my Lily. She would think that I am incapable to do anything._

"What?" Sirius Y. cried. "How is it possible? I was so sure! Jessica herself told me!"

"Well, Jessica is gossip queen of Hogwarts." Remus shook his head. "It looks like Lily is right. Wow. I didn't expect this."

Lily P. leaned back in her armchair confidently and she crossed her hands behind her head, looking very satisfied. "I told you so. I know all your secrets."

Sirius O. snorted. "Really? If you know everything about Prongs, tell me, who was his first in our time? Meh?"

Lily P. smiled slightly.

This was all information he needed to know. "What?" He started rolling on the floor laughing. "I-it is s-so chee-sy." He took few deep breaths to start speaking normally. "And I thought that he was so nervous about it because it was his first time with y- someone very special, not the first time at all."

"You are an idiot." Lily P. sighed and kicked him in the shin.

Others stared at them, they couldn't figure it out.

"Next question. Names of Moony's parents." James asked to avert their attention from him. He didn't feel very comfortable with the other's discussing his sex life. Or lack of it. However, when he caught Lily's look, she seemed to be very pleased with this situation. _It could be good for me, why didn't I think about it earlier? She was maybe afraid that I was a player who cares just about notches on his bedpost. Anyway, she doesn't need to worry, she should know that I can't even look at other girls._

"That's easy!" Peter grinned. "Mary and Stephan."

"Yeah." Both Sirius´s stated together.

Lilies just nodded.

Remus finished the circle. "You are all right. Who is asking next?"

**Ooo**

They were playing this game for the rest of the morning. Lily P. won with twenty-four points, older Sirius was close, he got twenty-one. Others got between fourteen and eighteen points, except for Sirius Y. who gained only eleven. He didn't take this lost very well. He was sulking like a little child. He sat in the corner, hands crossed on his chest, a frown on his face and he was pouting.

"I told you so." Lily P. sounded very smug. She poke her tongue at Sirius O. "I believe I should get some prize, shouldn't I?"

"We will bring you a cake from kitchens." Remus suggested.

Lily P. tilted her head to her side and she contemplated it. "Hmmm...okay. Chocolate cake with strawberries on the top." She ordered.

"I am hungry just because you talk about food." Peter complained. "Can we head for the lunch?"

"Lunch." Sirius Y. brightened. He immediately forgot about his annoyance. He rushed towards door with Peter on his tail.

Lily E. and James got up too, but not so quick. James took Lily's hand and this was signal for Sirius O. to wolf whistle. They both blushed. Lily P. smacked Sirius on the back of his head.

Lily E. waved at Lily P. "See you later, I will bring you lunch."

Remus was the last to leave the room. He took his time to give Lily and James start so they won't feel uncomfortable in front of him. He chuckled and turned in the doorway. "I think I will have to fetch you some food because I doubt that Lily will remember it."

"Don't forget not to bring any meat to Black!" Lily P. called after him cheekily. She bent down to avoid pillow which Sirius threw at her.

**Ooo**

When Remus arrived into Great Hall, he immediately spotted Sirius and Peter who were throwing stones from cherries at their classmates and then they were acting like nothing happened.

Lily and James were sitting across the table. Lily was glaring at them and she was performing some very interesting movements. Remus recognized that she was trying to kick them under the table. James, on the other hand, was involved a great dilemma – to hold Lily's hand or to eat with his right hand? He finally decided on the compromise. He grabbed Lily's hand by his left so he had to shuffle closer to her because she was sitting on his right side. Not that he was complaining.

Remus took a vacant seat on Lily's other side. She raised her head and smiled at him. Remus caught James's jealous stare and he smirked. Oh, how he loved teasing his friends. He leaned towards Lily and he looked at her plate. "Is it good?" He whispered.

This was too much for James. He grabbed Lily by her waist and he moved her closer to him. _Beat that._ His stare told Remus.

Remus just shrugged, satisfied that he was successful, and started eating.

He was interrupted when somebody next to him coughed loudly. He glanced up and he saw a little first year, George.

"Do you need something?" He asked pleasantly.

"Y-yes." George stuttered. He still wasn't used to older students paying attention to him. "I-I have a message for Head boy and Head girl."

Lily looked at him and she smiled encouragingly. "What message?"

"Miss Webb wanted me to let you know that Lucy was sent home to recover so you can't visit her." The boy answered. "Good bye." He ran towards his friends.

James sighed. "It's a shame, I wanted to visit her after lunch."

"Yeah," Lily agreed. "But on the other hand, she is better with her family now."

James just nodded.

When they finished eating, Lily and James – just like Remus predicted – got up without second glance and they were heading towards door while whispering to each other. He shook his head and swished his wand. He shrank two plates with food, covered it and took into his bag. Then he followed them.

Peter and Sirius found out that they were left alone so they stuffed everything very quick into their mouths and they ran after others.

When they arrived to Heads´ common room, it was Sirius O. who opened door for them.

Lily P. sat near the window, facing away from them.

"Here is your order, dear lady and sir." Remus announced merrily while he enlarged plates with food.

"Thank you." Sirius O. jumped on his plate hungrily.

Lily P. didn't even acknowledge them.

Peter nudged Sirius O. into ribs. "What's the matter with her?" He whispered.

Sirius O. didn't even raised his head. "I don't know, she has been switching her moods quite often lately. She is laughing and suddenly she is crying or annoyed. Maybe some sickness of time travellers."

"Well, you know her the best of us, shouldn't you try to help her?" James asked quietly.

Sirius O. stared at him intently. "And risk getting castrated? Or killed? Thank you but I think I will pass."

"Padfoot, don't be so stubborn, we _should_ at least try." Remus reasoned.

"Urgh, okay." Sirius O. sighed. He laid down knife and fork and he got up. He went towards Lily P. and put his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Evans, what happened?"

"Nothing." She turned her red puffy eyes away and shrugged.

"It doesn't seem like nothing. Something is clearly bothering you. Tell me, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" She exploded. "Do you really need to ask?" She waved her hands exasperatedly. "I am stuck in my past! We don't know if we will ever find a way home!" She started crying by now. "I just want to go home. I miss my husband! I miss Harry. I want to see my baby." She hid her face into Sirius's chest. "Please tell me that we are going home." She was sobbing loudly.

"S-sh." Sirius O. tried to calm her down. "We will find a way, I promise." He drew comforting circles on her back.

Lily P. was slowly composing herself and her weeping subsided when Lily E. suddenly asked. "I have a husband _and child_?"

Sirius O. and Lily P. looked at each other in panic. "Oh shit." Sirius O. swore.

**Thank you for reading! Please REVIEW. Please please please. =)**


	9. The date

**Hi! It´s me again! Hope, you´ll enjoy this chapter =)**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own HP. Obviously.**

**Thank you ginnyjaffa for an awesome birthday gift!**

Lily E. woke up exactly five minutes earlier than her alarm went off. She lay for a few moments in the bed, just contemplating the events of the day before. Her older self had slipped up and she revealed that she was married. _Married. Wow. In five years time I am going to be a wife and mother. I still feel like a child, am I prepared for this? And who is this man I marry? Lily said something about Harry but I don't know anybody with that name. I wish it was James, he would make a great husband._ Her alarm started ringing. She jumped out of the bed immediately. _Oh Merlin. I have totally forgotten. I have a date today._ Because she was in such a rush, she didn't notice that her legs were tangled in her light yellow sheets and she fell down to the floor.

"Oh. Great start for a new day." She muttered sarcastically when she tried to get up. When she was finally free, she headed immediately into bathroom to get ready. She emerged twenty minutes later, fully dressed and her hair done. She smiled at her reflection in huge mirror on her wardrobe and she twirled, her short skirt flying. She was very satisfied with herself.

When she opened her door, she saw Lily P. and Sirius O. quietly talking by the fireplace. They looked very occupied and they didn't even notice her.

"What are we going to do? I told them about Harry, it's a very important memory." Lily P. worried.

"I know but like I said before, you are excellent at Charms, you can manage very strong _Obliviate_, can´t you?" Sirius tried to calm her down.

"This all sounds so nice, but it is only a theory. Of course I can perform powerful memory charm but I could damage their brains irrecoverably." Lily P. looked like she would freak out soon.

Sirius put one hand around her shoulder. "Don't worry, it will be just fine."

Lily E. didn't wanted to keep eavesdropping so she coughed to catch their attention. "Good morning!" She started cheerfully.

They immediately stopped talking. "Hey Evans." Sirius called, while Lily P. just nodded.

"Where are others?" Lily E. asked curiously.

Lily P. just laughed. "Peter was hungry like usual so they all went with him to the kitchens grab some pre-breakfast snack." _Slimy two-faced asshole._ She thought maliciously, she still couldn't manage to discern Peter from the future and even though this young Peter wasn't a traitor yet.

Sirius O. pouted. "Yeah and they didn't take me with them. I will remember it."

Lily P. rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, they will bring you something."

Right at that moment Sirius Y. banged through door with bag full of food.

"Oh, speaking of the devil." Lily E. muttered.

"Evans, I love you too." Sirius Y. beamed at her unfazed by her lack of enthusiasm at his appearance.

"Do you have our breakfast?" Sirius O. asked eagerly, his stomach grumbling.

"Where did you leave everyone else?" Lily E. asked in the same moment.

Sirius Y. threw his bag to Sirius O. who caught it expertly. Then he turned to Lily E. "Oh, what Evans? Do you miss your Jamesie already?" He asked in sickly sweet voice.

Lily E. didn't know how to respond, she just blushed deep scarlet.

Lily P. hit Sirius Y. across the head. "Oi Black, give her rest and tell us _please_ where the others are."

"Yes, madam." Sirius Y. saluted and then he started laughing. "Our poor Wormtail was so desperate for some food that he ate something rotten from yesterday and he got food poisoning. Moony and Prongs took him to Hospital Wing."

Sirius O. joined his laugher with full mouth. "That is our Wormtail!"

"Oh Black!" Lily P. cried. "Close your mouth you pig! Are you trying to bombard me?"

Sirius O. chewed for few moments and then swallowed. "Evans, don't get so mad immediately, it was just one tiny fritter."

Lily P. opened her mouth to retort hastily but she was interrupted by James and Remus who just arrived.

"Poor Wormtail got stuck in the Hospital wing for the rest of the day." Remus announced and plopped himself on one armchair.

"Aw, that's bad." Lily E. said. "Today is Hogsmead visit."

James smiled at his girlfriend and went to hug her. "Don't worry about him Lils, we can bring him some sweets from Honeydunkes." _He will sneak out anyway, he wouldn't let this opportunity to get chocolate slip._

"Good idea," Lily hugged him back, "would you accompany me to the breakfast?"

"Of course," James took her hand, "let's go." He bent down to her. "By the way, you look awesome." He whispered to her ear.

"Thank you." Lily giggled.

They waved at others and disappeared in the corridor.

"Well," Sirius O. clasped his hands together, "since our lovebirds have left, what about us?"

"My fate is quite clear." Sirius Y. sighed. "I got a detention for whole day."

"Yay!" Sirius O. whooped. "It means that I can go to Zonko´s."

Lily P. shot him warning glare. "Yes, but you have to still go with me under cloak because teachers can't see you."

"Okay, okay." Sirius O. waved his hand dismissively. "I am aware of that. However, I think that we will split up in Hogsmead anyway, I doubt that any Professors will go in there in this weather."

"So we're settled." Remus looked at his watch and said. "Well, I have one hour to write my Arithmacy essay and we can meet at ten in the Great Hall."

"Have a nice day." Sirius Y. sighed. "I am going on my date with Minnie and cleaning supplies." He got up and left together with Remus.

Sirius O. looked at Lily P. "And we are here all alone again. Wanna do something about it?" He wriggled his eyebrow suggestively.

Lily P. just laughed. "Shut up, you prat, or I will report you to James when we are back."

Sirius wore mock innocent expression on his face. "B-but Evans! I promised Prongs that I will take care of you if he wouldn't be able to."

Lily patted his head. "Yeah, but I don't think that he was talking about any sexual activity."

"What!" Sirius O. pretended to be horrified. "You have a sick mind Evans, I was talking about one game of chess." He put his head into his hands. "Evans, Evans, you thought about cheating on my best friend, I should punish you." He suddenly withdraw his wand and with one swift motion, Lily was soaking wet from head to toes.

She shrieked in shock. "Black!" She hit Sirius who was howling with laugher. She just sighed. "You're an idiot, you know."

"Aw, don't be so mean, Evans. You know you liked it. See," he pointed at her face in mirror, "you're smiling again."

Lily P. shook her head. "You are impossible. Although it was definitely strange way to cheer me up, you succeeded. "

"Well," Sirius started proudly, "I am _the Sirius Black_, _every girls´ dream_, you know."

Lily P. chuckled. "Okay keep thinking that. I have something better and _more real_ than dreaming about you."

Sirius O. grimaced. "Stop it, don't go anywhere further. I don't need to hear how good my best friend is in bed."

Lily winked. "Oh, he is. Especially when he-"

Sirius quickly covered her mouth with his hand. "Too much information for my innocent ears. Please shut up."

"Uh, I will spare you for now, Black." Lily smiled. "Come on, we have to find James's cloak so we can go to the Hogsmead."

"You're right, Evans." Sirius nodded and they both started to search for the cloak. Lily took care of the common room and Sirius went to James's room.

Ten minutes later, Lily heard victorious shout. "I've got it! Who knew that Prongs had so many pictures of you." Sirius emerged James's room with cloak already on so Lily saw only his head.

"What?" She looked at him confusedly.

"You see," Sirius gestured towards James's room, "while I was looking for the cloak, I found seventeen photos of you. Ew, he really was obsessed."

Lily smiled adoringly. "I think it was rather sweet. Besides, I had six his photos by the end of our sixth year."

"What!" Sirius O. stared at her disbelievingly. "You have fancied him for so long and you had to still leave us in the misery?"

Lily raised her eyebrow questionably. "Us? Misery?"

"Yeah, us. Marauders. We had to listen to his moping." He began to speak in girly high pitched voice. "_Why can't she give me a chance? Oh, I love her so much! Can't she see it? She smiled at Matthias yesterday, do you think that she likes him? Should I hex him? Or bring her flowers? Can I borrow your hair gel? Merlin, it just can't stay flat! Do you think that she prefers me in my green or blue T-shirt?"_ He returned to his normal voice. "Oh Merlin, it was horrible!"

By the end of his speech, Lily was laughing so hard that she started to worry if she will wet her pants. "Black, stop it now! My side hurts from laughing."

He held his hands in surrender manner. "You found it funny, not me. It was a nightmare." He shivered.

Lily took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. "I think that we should go, it will take us more time with two adult people under one cloak."

"You're right." Sirius O. immediately agreed.

They met others in the Entrance Hall exactly at ten o´clock. James, Lily and Remus went first, closely followed by Lily and Sirius under the cloak. Remus found an empty carriage right for them. When they wanted to close the door, Peter suddenly appeared. "I-I did it!" He panted.

When they sat, Sirius threw away the cloak. "Finally, I can breathe. It's too small for us now. And I had to be smashed together with Evans, ew."

Lily P. rolled her eyes. "Be grateful that you can visit Hogsmead and don´t complain."

"Merlin Evans, you are acting like my mother." Sirius made a face at her. "Please stop lecturing me all the time."

"I will stop as soon as you will behave like a grown up man and not a five year old." She retorted.

The others watched their bickering with growing interest.

Remus chuckled and then he said to Lily P. "When you don´t have Prongs here, you manage to find another person to argue with."

She grinned. "Well, James behaves more mature now and I need training for my brain so discussing things with this idiot is ideal."

"Hey! I beg your pardon!" Sirius O. cried mock hurt. "You know, you secretly love it."

Lily P. just smiled mysteriously. "Even if I did, you will never know."

They all laughed merrily. Lily E. and James returned to their hushed conversation and Lily P. with Sirius continued their bickering, this time about Sirius´s mermaid hair.

Remus turned to Peter. "Wormtail, it looks like we are on our own today, where would you like go first?" He sensed that Peter often felt left out so he wanted to make it up for him.

Peter´s eyes brightened with excitement. "We should totally go to Honeydunkes first. Evan told me that they got a new flavour of Berties Beans."

Remus nodded patiently. "I thought so. I need to refill my chocolate storage anyway so I am with you."

"And then we have to go to Zonko´s." Peter was overjoyed that somebody listened to him and that he could determine what they were going to do.

Sirius joined their conversation. "I am going with you, too."

"And what about Lily?" Remus turned his gaze towards Lily P.

"Evans," Sirius O. wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "is in it with us, isn´t she?" He looked at her with his puppy eyes.

"I suppose so." She shrugged. "I have nothing better to do, besides you need somebody to calm him down." She indicated to Sirius O.

He grinned. "I am not sure if you can manage it, nobody succeeded so far."

Lily shook her head. "A girl can always dream." She stopped herself. "Are you going without cloak? No Professors are going today so they won´t recognize you when you should be in detention."

Sirius nodded. "It´s good idea, we both will be more comfortable."

While they were talking, the carriages stopped at the edge of Hogsmead. Lily P. put on the cloak again and followed others out.

James grabbed Lily´s hand and he waved at the rest of Marauders and Lily P. "See you later." He smiled nervously and pulled Lily behind him to a side lane.

Sirius started to laugh loudly. "Where are you taking her? To snog her in a dark corner?" He shook his head mock disappointed. "I don´t think girls find that romantic."

James flicked him the finger and then he continued without hesitation.

Remus sighed. "Padfoot, please shut up, this is their first date, don´t ruin it!"

Sirius O. just grinned. "Oh come on, Moony, you're acting like he can't´ stand a bit of friendly teasing."

Remus wanted to answer but Lily jabbed them both to the ribs from behind. "Oh boys, shut up. I need my morning chocolate so let´s go to the Honeydunkes."

Peter vigorously nodded. "Yeah, I am hungry too."

"Wormtail and hungry. Who would have thought?" Sirius stated sarcastically. Although he tried to act normal around him, he could still see his betrayal so he was unintentionally very mean towards him. _Scum. Traitor. Dirt. We were best friends! How could he?_

Remus tried to admonish Peter. "Don´t forget that just an hour ago you laid in the Hospital Wing moaning because of stomach ache."

Peter ignored him, he grabbed a door knob and opened slowly in awe. He turned to the others. "Welcome to my personal Heaven!"

Lily P. chuckled from under the cloak. "Mine too. Remus could you please grab these chocolate bars from the right rack?"

"Which one?" Remus whispered. "There are at least fifty kinds."

"Caramel chocolate, white chocolate, milk chocolate and that chocolate with chilli." Lily replied excitedly. "I will pay you for it later."

Remus nodded discreetly and went to find his own sweets.

When they finally left the shop, they found out that they spent more than half an hour there.

"Wow, the time is so fast when you are with chocolate." Lily sighed.

"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "But I am oversweet right now, I need something salty."

Remus looked at his watch. "It´s eleven o´clock right now, I suggest visiting Zonko´s and then we can continue to the Three Broomsticks for the lunch."

"Yay!" Peter whooped. "I'm coming!" And he was off. They could only watch his back to disappear in the crowd.

"Boy, he is really sugar high now." Remus smiled. "We should better go to catch him before he hurts himself."

They started laughing and followed Peter, they could easily identified him because of his high pitched screams of joy.

When they wanted to enter the shop, a cold voice interrupted them. "I didn´t know that Bloodtraitors have their own fashion."

Sirius turned quickly and he stood face to face his younger brother. Dead brother in his time. He was so in shock that he totally forgot about whole time travelling thing. "W-what are you doing here?" He stammered.

Remus looked at him worriedly. Sirius paled and he looked like he had seen a ghost.

Regulus shot him a death glare. "Tsk. Did you just lose your voice by looking at me?" He stated sneeringly.

His dogsboy, a burly but dull sixth year Slytherian called Hyde sniggered.

This woke Sirius up from his trance. He grimaced at Regulus. "What do you want here, dear _brother_?"

Regulus smirked. "I just wanted to ask what happened to your awesome "sex" hair. It´s quite mermaidish now."

A few bystanders started laughing at Sirius.

Sirius straightened up so he was a head taller than his younger brother. "It is the last fashion from Paris, you dolt!"

"Wow. Really?" Hyde asked stupidly.

"Oh, Paris. So sexy!" Girls in the crowd flipped over.

Remus chuckled. This was Padfoot, he always managed to make situation working for him.

Regulus sneered. "We will see who is stupid. Soon. Take care of your idiotic hair." And he was gone.

Sirius stayed in shock and he looked at the spot where his younger brother stood just few seconds ago.

Remus grabbed his arm and he pulled him into the shop. "Don´t let him to break you." He whispered to Sirius.

Sirius O. shook his head resignedly. "I know, it´s just... He is my brother and now..."

"I understand. You don´t need to say more." Remus nodded.

"Here you are." Peter called from behind a big shelf with Dungbombs. "Look what I found!" He held a huge brown box.

"What is it?" Sirius strode towards interestedly.

Remus exhaled in relief. Sirius was efficiently distracted and he stopped worry about Regulus. This was good.

"A new pranking kit!" Peter explained excitedly and then he started describing what this box contains.

Remus suddenly paused. _Something is missing. But what?_ He slowly went to both excited pranksters. Suddenly, it clicked. "Where is Lily?"

Sirius glanced at him briefly. "Hmm, I totally forgot. I think we have lost her when we were running after Wormtail. We should find for her."

"Okay." Remus nodded. "Let´s pay for this quickly and go." He took the box and hurried towards cash desk. He was back in two minutes.

"You were ve-" Peter started but never finished. His words were interrupted by a sudden explosion from the outside.

"What the fuck?" Sirius swore and he opened the door.

It looked like the hell had broken outside. People were running in all direction, screaming and moaning. Some of them were injured, they were hobbling or just lying on the ground resignedly. Sirius got a brief look at a dead young woman. There stood the cloaked figures on the end of the street, firing curses in all directions.

"Merlin. James! Evans!" Sirius yelled. He turned to Remus. "Stay here and help all people out through back door. Then take them all into Forbidden Forest, nobody will search there." He ordered.

Remus agreed shakily and he turned to the others.

Sirius looked at Peter and said. "You go through fireplace in the first floor to the Ministry of the Magic, Auror department and tell them that somebody attacked Hogsmead. Do you understand?"

Peter nodded and run upstairs.

Sirius sighed, withdraw his wand and whispered. "Don´t worry mate, I won´t leave you alone." And he bursted through the door outside.

**Lily Potter**

Peter took off with cosmic speed and when boys started chasing him, she tried to catch up with them. However, she was wearing an invisible cloak and she had to be extra careful, she had to avoid any contact with people on the street. It would be very suspicious if you just bumped into hard air.

She knew that boys were going to Zonko´s so she didn´t worry about finding them, they would spend a lot of time there certainly, she didn´t have to hurry. She slowly walked down the street, looking in shop windows, thinking about her James and Harry home. _I miss them so much. I wish I was in James´s arms at home already._

While she was walking, she didn´t notice that she had already passed Zonko´s and that she was almost at the end of the street. She looked up when she realised that crowd visibly decreased. She saw one side alley.

"Hey, that is the street where James with younger me disappeared." She whispered to herself. She didn´t try to deny it, she was curious where their first date took place. She decided to walk down this street and she hoped that she might meet them.

She just turned a corner and she made only ten steps when a massive explosion from behind knocked her to the ground.

**Lily and James**

When they rounded the corner, James dropped Lily´s and he sighed. "Merlin, that Padfoot really doesn´t know when he should shut up."

Lily giggled. "I don´t mind him, you have quite funny friends."

"Really?" James immediately brightened. "So you are not angry?" He wanted to be sure.

"Of course not." Lily smiled and she took his hand. "Stop overanalysing it and come on. Where are we going first? Honeydunkes?"

James chuckled. "Definitely not. I´ve got something special planned."

"What?" Lily was immediately curious. She turned to face him and she was walking backwards, still looking at James.

"It´s a surprise, I won´t ruin it for you." He winked mischievously.

"Oh, come on." Lily whined. "Tell me, please!" She avoided a crush with a young family when she turned back just in time.

James just shook his head. "Nope. You will have to wait." He encircled her waist and pulled her with him.

They arrived to old small shop. It was newly painted so its white wall was visible from the end of the street even in this horrible weather. It was cloudy, foggy and quite chilly and it drizzled. No wonder all Professors refused to go supervising.

James knocked three times at massive wooden door. They heard footsteps and then an old witch looked through little window with cute crochet veiling. She smiled at James and she started to unlock the door.

"Good morning dears!" She greeted them enthusiastically. "Did you have a good ride? I hope you didn´t get too wet, it´s terrible weather today." She didn´t seem to need to breathe between sentences. Words were spilling from her like water from the waterfall.

Lily was watching her with her with her mouth open. This little woman looked like she was ages old but she was so full of energy! She didn´t need a stick to help her move, she was very fast. Her old face was wrinkled and she missed half of her tooth but her eyes shined with life.

"Good morning." James answered, he didn´t appear to be shocked like Lily, he probably knew this woman from before Lily finally decided.

"We were moving fast so we aren´t fully drenched but I still forgot an umbrella charm in this rush." He chuckled. "This is my Lily," He gently pushed Lily in front of him, "and this is our old family friend, Lady Mary." He introduced them.

"Good morning." Lily finally found her voice.

"Oh, she is far prettier that you told me, Jamie." Lady exclaimed while she pulled stunned Lily into hug.

When she released Lily, she turned to James. "Here are the keys, you know where to go. I will go take my nap upstairs so just lock the door and hide it into this flower-pot, I will find it there later."

She threw one last bright smile at them and she disappeared in the next room.

Lily looked at James questionably. "What was all that?"

He smiled. "Close your eyes, it has to be a surprise."

Lily looked at him suspiciously but she obeyed.

James stood behind her and took her by her shoulders. He led her through one door into a very light room, Lily could feel it even through her eye lids.

"You can open your eyes now." He whispered huskily into her right ear. She shivered involuntarily.

Lily did as he said and she gasped in astonishment. She stood in the middle of Paradise. She always thought that Honeydunkes is the best shop ever but she was wrong. There were little white tables with matching chairs that looked like they were from a fairytale. The counter was also white and lined with little light green flowers. Lily noticed just now that the same flowers were lining tables, too. It looked like this room didn´t have the fourth wall. There was a beautiful view behind the counter, spring wood in fresh green and sun rays going through branches. Lily realized that it was a French window and somebody used similar spell like on Great Hall ceiling on it.

"It shows you various places depending on your mood." James answered her unspoken question.

"Wow. Wow. Wow." Lily said quietly to herself like she was afraid that if she is any louder, this dream will be over.

"And that's is not all." James took her hand and pushed her towards one table in the corner.

Lily was struck dumb with amazement. There stood something what looked like a huge vase filled with various flowers. From roses to tulips and to daffodils. From red to blue and violet. Lily made two steps toward this beauty and she noticed that all flowers and although vase sparkled like diamonds. Two more steps and she found out that the sparkling was caused by pieces of ice. She turned to James with question on her lips.

He answered before she managed to ask. "It´s from ice-cream."

"What?" She spun around and she studied the bouquet closely. "You were right. Wow again. But how?"

James just shrugged and shifted the white chair so Lily could sit.

"Thank you, you are a gentleman." She smiled up at him and she sit down. "But really, how?"

He took his seat. "Well, you have said once that the only thing that you love more than chocolate is an ice-cream." He took her hand across the table in his.

Lily sighed. "It´s perfect. You are too good for me."

James just laughed. "Nah, not possible. _You _are too good for me."

"We are not going to argue about this, are we?" Lily giggled. "I'm curious, tell me how did you managed to prepare all this-" she waved her hand around to make a point "-in such a short time. You asked me out yesterday morning."

James winked conspirator and indicated her to move closer. He whispered. "Mary has a nephew, Nicholas. He wants to open an ice-cream parlour next month here and Mary is looking after it while he is in France. Well, I knew that the shop was ready, Nicholas is just waiting for his licence, so I asked him if I could use it here. And everything else is clear – he said yes, told Mary and she helped me with these flowers." He chuckled. "I just couldn´t get it how to make daffodils."

"Merlin." Lily exhaled. "You did these flowers by yourself?"

"Not completely, Mary helped me, but mostly yes." He nodded sheepishly.

"I-I don´t know what to say, it´s-" Lily opened her mouth to say something but she just couldn´t "-I can´t find words to describe it."

James gripped her hand tighter. "I am glad that you like it."

Lily looked at him scandalously. "Like it? No. I love it!"

They both began to laugh.

When they both calmed down, James prompted Lily. "So, are you going to try it?"

"What? I can´t eat something so pretty!" Lily shook her head disapprovingly.

"You must." James smiled. "I have made it for you to eat it."

"Okay." Lily finally agreed. She hesitantly took a teaspoon and she peeled one petal off." She slowly put it into her mouth.

James was watching her eagerly.

"Hmm, it´s strawberry flavour." Lily let it to melt on her tongue. "The best strawberry ice-cream I have ever had." She sighed happily.

James grinned, obviously satisfied. "Try this dark tulip." He gestured to another flower.

Lily obeyed. "Oh Merlin. It´s chocolate! It´s delicious. I think that I might have died and gone to heaven." She was overjoyed. "You have to try it too." She stuck her hand with spoon to James.

He opened his mouth but they didn´t coordinate their movements and Lily poked him under his nose with her spoon. She started laughing again. "You have a mustache."

James wiped his mouth with back of his hand and a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. He grabbed his spoon, attacked one violet blueberry aster and he smudged it on Lily´s right cheek.

She abruptly stopped laughing and she glared at him. "This means war, Potter." She added jokingly his surname to emphasize her threat.

He just smirked. "You're on."

And it started. Yelling, screaming, running, falling, screaming... If somebody heard them he would think that they were attacked. Half an hour later, they sat back on their chairs, totally exhausted. Lily´s white blouse wasn´t white anymore, it contained all colours like a rainbow. James had a piece of waffle in his hair which was more dishevelled than usual. They both wore similar happy grins on their faces and they were breathing heavily.

"I won." Lily concluded when she started breathing normally.

"And who is the judge?" James raised an eyebrow.

"Me, of course." Lily giggled.

"If you insist." James just shook his head mock indulgently.

"But now I really want to enjoy my ice-cream. Half of it is on me but I haven´t try almost anything." Lily exclaimed and grabbed her spoon.

James rested back in his chair and closed his eyes.

She spooned a huge piece of lemon lily and slowly licked it. She sighed happily, it was truly perfect. She looked and James and her eyes sparkled with mischief, she could use some fun with this ice-cream. She wanted to ask somebody sooner about it but she was never so close with any boy like now with James. "James?" She gently kicked his leg under table to wake him up.

"What?" He asked kindly.

"Can I ask you a very personal question?" She looked at him through her eyelashes and smiled flirtatiously. _Merlin. I even dally. I didn´t know that I am capable of doing it. It´s James fault. Definitely._

"Of course, Lils, you can do anything." He smiled back at her.

She licked her spoon while she was thinking how to ask. "I wanted to know, if it´s true that boys like watching girls eating bananas and strawberries or licking other things?"

James thought about it. "Well, it´s really personal question. I guess it is true, if-" He groaned. Lily was listening to him interestedly and she absentmindedly licked the rest of the ice cream from the spoon. "You are doing it on purpose, aren´t you?" He told her accusingly.

"What?" Lily feigned surprise. She looked down at her spoon and acted like it just clicked. "Oh," she giggled. "I wasn´t, but I guess, I can start." She slightly opened her mouth and slowly, torturously licked her upper lip and then lower. She stuck the tip of her tongue from her mouth and licked her thumb which was covered in rest of chocolate ice cream.

"Stop it!" James squeezed his eyes shut and he put his hands before him like a protection from Lily.

She started laughing again. "Why? It´s fun to tease you."

He decided that it was safe and he opened his eyes. "Women." He muttered while Lily almost fell from her chair because of laughing. "I don´t understand what is so funny here."

He crossed arms on his chest and started sulking. This only made Lily laugh harder.

"Y-you are s-so cute, whe-en you are p-pouting." She gasped for air.

This made James smirk deviously. "You think that I am cute?" He asked mischievously.

Lily immediately sobered and she flushed bright red. "Uh, huh. Well, you know...I mean, well...you" She stuttered, looking into her lap, playing nervously with her hands.

"Aw, don´t worry, you look also adorable when you are embarrassed." James leaned across the table to squeeze her hand.

Lily raised her head to look at him. She suddenly noticed how close their faces were.

It looked like James realized it too, because he grinned briefly at her and he cupped her cheek with his left hand.

"You are so beautiful." He murmured quietly, their mouths only inches apart.

Lily was just staring at him, willing him to kiss her. However, something broke in her in the last second. James saw it in her eyes. They sparkled and then suddenly stopped. She leaned in and she kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you." She whispered. "This is the most beautiful date I could ever hope for."

_What ?_ James was very confused._ Why didn´t she want to kiss me? She really doesn´t like me. Or my breath smells. Or maybe she is just afraid that I am rushing things. Yeah, it must be this. I will try to take it slower, she already agreed to go out with me, I have everything I have ever wanted._ He sighed in relief at his explanation. _But what if she really doesn´t want me?_

Lily didn´t notice his inside struggling. She looked down at their connected hands. _It feel so right, just us._ She smiled gently. Then she saw her watch. "Oh, it´s almost twelve, we were supposed to meet others for lunch." She exclaimed.

James woke up from his state and he got up. "You are right, we should be go-"

He didn´t finished. A great explosion from outside took his words away.

"What happened?" Lily sounded very frightened.

"I don´t know, I will investigate and you will wait here for me, okay?" James answered while he was creeping slowly towards front door.

"No way." Lily grabbed his hand. "If you are going outside, I am with you."

"Lils, don't be silly." James tried to reason with her. "We don´t know what can be waiting there, you could be hurt."

"So could you." Lily stamped on her foot stubbornly. "I won´t leave you."

James sighed resignedly. It was clear that she wouldn´t obey him. "Okay, but you will have to listen to me and when I say run, run."

Lily nodded and she squeezed his hand tighter. James grabbed the doorknob and he carefully opened the door. He stayed inside, he just stuck his head.

"What? What´s going on?" Lily jabbed him into ribs from behind.

"Ouch." James complained. "There is a lot of smoke at the end of the street and some people are running."

"Help, help me please!" A woman voice suddenly screamed.

"Somebody is hurt, we have to help." Lily exclaimed and pushed James out so she could go through door.

They withdraw their wand and they started running towards the place where they heard yelling.

They found a middle aged woman with dark black hair, lying on the ground, her lower half buried under fallen wall of one shop.

She was moaning in pain, these big bricks had to crush bones in her legs.

Lily bent down to her. "Don´t be afraid," she tried to soothe her, "we are going to help you."

The woman just groaned in response. Lily began carefully lifting brick after brick, using her wand, when they heard another explosion and screaming. Three young boys ran towards them, their clothes looked burned and they had bruises everywhere on their bare skin. One of them was hobbling. Suddenly his legs gave away and he started falling. James reached out and caught him just in time.

"What happened?" He asked hurriedly.

"Black masks, cursing, dark magic, dead people." The boy started babbling with no sense in his sentence, but it was enough for James, he understood.

"I see." He nodded. "Hey, you!" He told two other boys who stopped to catch their breath. "Support him and you all go down this street and towards the bushes on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, do you understand?"

They both nodded and held their hands for injured boy.

James turned to Lily quickly. "I think that you will manage to free her by yourself. I have to go to the Three Broomsticks, the screaming is coming from there and you know that most third years go there for a Buttlebeer."

"What? Only over my dead body!" Lily started to sound hysteric. "You could be hurt!"

"Lils." He kneeled next to her. "I will be okay, promise." He grabbed her hand. "Just stay here and sent all people in the Forest."

"B-but you are going there." She started to cry. "You can´t fight them alone."

"I won´t be alone, if I know Padfoot, he will wait there for me." He said to her calmly.

"I want to fight too." Lily stated resolutely.

James chuckled humourlessly. "Don´t worry, you will. You have to protect all these children. And I am afraid that somebody will chase them." He slowly stood up.

"Take care." He told her quietly.

"You too." She whispered through tears.

He gripped his wand tightly and he started going determinedly towards the pub. He stopped suddenly and turned to Lily. "Just in case something happened, you have to know that I love you." With these words on his lips he turned and he took off in a run.

He didn´t see Lily´s stunned figure nor he hear her faint, "I love you too."

Lily returned to her work as soon as she recovered from her trance. She got rid of all bricks and now she started a few basic healing charms on the woman in order to ease her pain.

When she finished, she whispered a quiet. "_Winggardium Leviosa_." The woman started levitated. It woke her up and she panicked. "Sush, it´s okay, I am taking you to safe place." Lily calmed her down. She hurried with her to the forest and she managed to take a few children on the way, too. When they finally reached bushes, she helped them to hide and she rushed back.

Suddenly, a dark cloaked figure appeared in front of her. "What do we have here?" He asked in sickly sweet voice. "A little lost girl?"

Lily growled and fired. "_Expelliarmus_."

The man was able to dodge at the last moment. This angered him. "You wanna play? We will. However after MY rules. _Crucio_."

"_Protego_." Lily was quick. "_Petrificus totalus_."

However, so was the man. He stepped aside and fired back. "_Crucio_."

Lily didn´t expected him to react so fast and she avoided the curse very closely. She crouched behind the huddle of bricks. The attacker dispersed it in a moment.

Lily didn´t see this coming, so she was completely unprepared. She cried the first curse which came to her lips. _"Levicorpus_." She unfortunately missed again.

"_Crucio_." She didn´t manage to dodge this time. Horrible pain ran through her body. It lasted a few moments but she felt it like it was years. She was burning from inside, her body was melting in infinite fire. She fell to the ground but she was still trying not to scream.

"How do you like this, Sweetie?" He was toying with her again.

She was trembling, she couldn´t make a coherent thought.

"What? I didn´t hear you." He was laughing. "Well, I think that you need something to bring back your voice. _Crucio_."

She screamed this time, the pain was worse than a first time. She wished to die. Fortunately, her wish wasn´t granted. Finally he stopped. "You see, what you get when you try to go against our Lord, Lord Voldemort!"

Her vision was cloudy and she almost dropped her wand but she wasn´t ready to leave James, especially now when he just told her that he loved her. She took advantage of his distraction and she put everything in one spell. "_Stupfety!_"

He didn´t count on her to be able to move let alone to hex so he wasn´t prepared when the spell hit him. He fell to the ground out cold. Lily quickly conjured bonds to be sure and she got up joggling.

She saw a group of third year Huppfelhuff hiding behind a wooden fence. She looked around if it was safe and ran towards them.

"Hey." She crouched next to them. "Come with me."

They silently followed her. She accompanied them to the safe area and she pointed towards woods. "Ran there and hide, some other people are there, too."

They took of very quickly that she even didn´t have a time to say more. They were so frightened.

Lily wanted to return and go to search for James when she realized that all explosion had stopped, she didn´t hear any screaming, too. She hurried to the Three Broomsticks. She passed Aurors when they slowly crept around buildings, looking for attackers. She also watched Healers helping injured people. She saw dead people, too.

However, she didn´t let herself to get distracted. She had to find James. When she finally reached Three Broomsticks, there was a big chaos. Hurt people were moaning and groaning, children were crying, others were running and calling names of their beloved. She spotted Sirius O. in the corner of the room, angrily slamming his fist into the wall.

Lily E. paled. "Black, what happened?"

He turned to her, deep pain written in his features. "They're gone, Evans."

**So, that´s it. Hmm, it´s my birthday today, so you all can give me a gift and review=) What do you think? =)**


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